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Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday over leaked medical school entrance exam papers that protesters say enabled cheating, but demonstrations demanding the education minister's resignation are set to continue, according to reports from France 24 and The Guardian.

Wangchuk said on social media that he broke his fast in Delhi in the presence of two federal ministers at the urging of scores of members of parliament and following "a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country," as reported by both outlets. He did not elaborate on the talks but promised to lay out details in a video soon.

Coverage Comparison

Reports of the hunger strike and its conclusion are consistent across multiple sources. Al Jazeera reported that Wangchuk, 59, began his fast on June 28 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led movement founded by 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke, which has gained 22 million followers on Instagram. The party is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leaks.

Deutsche Welle, reporting during the strike, noted that Wangchuk had been fasting for over two weeks and that his health was deteriorating. The outlet also highlighted that Pradhan has been education minister since 2021 and that critics argue he is ultimately responsible for the leaked question papers.

France 24 and The Guardian both reported the end of the strike and described the protests as the biggest youth challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since he came to power in 2014. Both outlets also noted that the movement has drawn tens of thousands of people to the streets and that opposition parties have echoed the protesters' demands and disrupted the monsoon session of parliament.

Key Claims

  • Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Friday, as reported by France 24 and The Guardian.
  • The hunger strike was in protest of exam paper leaks that affected approximately 2 million students, according to Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, France 24, and The Guardian. Some reports specify that the leaks occurred in May.
  • The education minister is accused of being responsible for the leaks, which have been linked to several student suicides, according to France 24 and The Guardian.
  • The Cockroach Janta Party, led by Abhijeet Dipke, has gained 22 million followers on Instagram, a claim reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Wangchuk lost 8.5kg during his fast, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Deutsche Welle reported that the government has not responded to demands for the minister's resignation, a claim that appears in a single outlet's reporting.
  • The protests have spread to other cities, according to France 24 and The Guardian.

Perspectives

Activist and Protesters

Wangchuk said he ended his fast after a "long negotiation on various conditions" and in view of possible violence in the country, but he did not elaborate. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked Wangchuk for his "courage and sacrifice" and said protests would continue until Pradhan resigns. "We won't let Sonam sir's sacrifice go in vain," he said in a video message, as reported by France 24 and The Guardian.

Government and Minister

Late on Tuesday, Pradhan, in his first comments since demands for his resignation were made, said the government was committed to addressing concerns and reforming exams, according to France 24 and The Guardian. Prime Minister Modi urged Wangchuk to follow doctors' advice and regain weight lost during the fast, as reported by both outlets.