did not cut any deal with government: Sonam Wangchuk
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has released a video clarifying that he did not reach a deal with the government to end his 26-day hunger strike. He stated that his decision was motivated by fears of a crackdown on student protesters and the need to protect young activists from further legal repercussions.
Why it matters
The situation highlights ongoing tensions between civil society activists and the government regarding protests and the treatment of young demonstrators in India.
After being criticised by several social media users for ending his hunger strike in the presence of Union Ministers, activist Sonam Wangchuk released a long video message on Friday (July 24, 2026) where he asserted that he “did not cut any deal” with the government and ended the fast as he feared a crackdown against students and protestors at Jantar Mantar.
He said he did not press for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as it is inevitable due to the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar and movement by the youth across the country. He ended the fast around 12:30 a.m. Friday (July 24), in the presence of Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, his wife and civil society leaders from Ladakh. Mr. Nadda served him soup to end the strike.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in