'Beginning of accountability': Wangchuk says he extended fast by two days during negotiations
Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after receiving government assurances regarding examination system reforms and accountability for paper leaks. The government also pledged to compensate families of affected students and refrain from prosecuting peaceful protesters.
Why it matters
The resolution of this protest highlights the power of public pressure in influencing government policy on education and student welfare.
Sonam Wangchuk on Friday (July 24, 2026), termed the end of his 26-day hunger strike the ‘beginning of accountability’, saying he decided to call off the fast only after receiving assurances from the government and MPs across parties on his key demands for examination reforms and protection of the peaceful protesters.
“End of hunger, Beginning of accountability,” Mr. Wangchuk posted on X, where he shared a video explaining his decision to end the fast, which he began at the Jantar Mantar on June 28 in support of the Cokroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ongoing protest demanding accountability for paper leaks, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, and reforms in the examination system, among others.
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