Day 15 of CJP Protest: Wangchuk’s Health Condition Worsens, CJP Ramps Up Pressure

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk continued his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, with his condition reportedly worsening as the protest entered its 15th day . The agitation, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) , has intensified its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan , citing alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.

According to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke , Wangchuk has lost around five kilograms since the start of his fast and is showing signs of deteriorating health. In posts on social media platform X , Dipke questioned why no action has been taken against the minister despite what he described as serious concerns linked to student deaths and exam irregularities.

Dipke said Wangchuk’s condition was worsening with each passing day and urged the Prime Minister to act swiftly. He also warned that the government would be responsible if anything happened to the activist during the protest. His posts were accompanied by satirical content targeting the education minister, including a cartoon shared online by the group.

In a separate post, Sonam Wangchuk acknowledged progress in discussions between the Centre and Ladakh representatives over regional demands. He urged the government to now focus on ensuring accountability in the education system . His remarks came after representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) said they had resolved procedural differences with the Ministry of Home Affairs , paving the way for further talks on Ladakh’s governance framework.

The ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar has also seen participation from members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) , who are observing a parallel hunger strike. The demonstration, which began on June 20 , has drawn attention from several political leaders and activists, including M A Baby , Brinda Karat , D Raja , Dipankar Bhattacharya , Yogendra Yadav , Prashant Bhushan , Annie Raja , Anjali Bhardwaj , Nikhil Dey , and MPs Sagarika Ghose and Mahua Moitra .

As the protest enters its 15th day , concerns over Wangchuk’s health and the escalating political confrontation have intensified the agitation at Jantar Mantar .