Activist Sonam Wangchuk loses 9 kg during Jantar Mantar hunger strike
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has lost nine kilograms after entering the 18th day of a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Wangchuk is surviving only on water and salt to support an ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A medical team of four to five doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, along with Dr. Satish Lamba, former secretary of the Delhi Medical Association, is monitoring Wangchuk’s health twice daily. As of Wednesday, the 59-year-old activist weighed 57.15 kilograms, reflecting a 400-gram drop since the previous day.
Doctors reported that while Wangchuk remains stable with a blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg and blood sugar at 80 mg/dL, the prolonged fast is beginning to impact his health. Ketones have been detected in his urine, indicating his body has depleted its carbohydrate stores and is now burning fat. Dr. Lamba warned that uric acid levels are rising, meaning Wangchuk will soon begin experiencing muscle loss. Prolonged fasting could also eventually lead to kidney damage.
On Wednesday, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court by lawyer Rakesh Saini, seeking an order to force-feed Wangchuk. The petition claimed Wangchuk could lose his life within two days and requested his immediate transfer to a government hospital. The PIL was scheduled to be heard on Wednesday by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, but the hearing was postponed to Thursday due to a strike by lawyers.
According to medical norms, a person cannot be force-fed unless they are declared unstable and incapable of making an informed decision. Dr. Lamba noted that if medical intervention becomes unavoidable, administering intravenous dextrose and saline solution would be a safer option than tube feeding, which carries risks of aspiration.
Wangchuk remains at the protest site, resting on a mattress and receiving assistance from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and other volunteers. When urged by supporters to end the strike, Wangchuk responded, "Instead of asking me to end my hunger strike, ask the government why it refuses to listen."
