Guwahati: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has begun losing muscle mass as his indefinite hunger strike entered its 17th day on Tuesday, prompting Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke to call for urgent government intervention amid growing concerns over the activist’s health.
Dipke said Wangchuk’s condition has deteriorated after more than two weeks without food and that doctors are closely monitoring him. According to him, the 59-year-old has lost 8.25 kg since beginning the fast. He added that Wangchuk’s blood sugar levels have repeatedly fallen below 70 mg/dL, while he continues to experience persistent dizziness, severe muscle loss and increasing physical weakness. Dipke also said Wangchuk’s rib cage has become visibly prominent, underscoring the decline in his health.
Wangchuk has been observing an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) campaign over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The protesters are demanding greater accountability in the examination process and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
As concerns over Wangchuk’s health intensified, author Arundhati Roy, actor Naseeruddin Shah, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and several others appealed to him to end the fast, saying his life and continued advocacy were too important to be put at risk.
Despite the appeals, supporters of the movement said Wangchuk remains determined to continue the protest until the government responds to their demands. They also urged the Centre to initiate dialogue before his condition worsens further.
The hunger strike has attracted widespread attention across the country, with activists, students and public figures expressing solidarity and renewing calls for greater transparency and accountability in the conduct of national-level examinations.