'Undemocratic': Oppn Over 'Forced' Hospitalisation Of Sonam Wangchuk; Abhijeet Dipke Begins Indefinite Fast | Latest Updates

Scientist-activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday after staying on a hunger strike for 21 days, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. Wangchuk, 59, ⁠has been ⁠fasting since June 28 in solidarity with India's students and youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). According to CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke, as of Friday, Wangchuk had lost about 8.7 kg (19.1 pounds), was visibly weak, and had lost considerable muscle mass.

On Friday, when Wangchuk was asked if he wanted to be hospitalized, the activist said: "They don't understand this is not a disease or a disorder. This is a self-chosen fast."

Here are the latest updates on Sonam Wangchuk's Hospitalisation At Safdarjung Hospital:

- Delhi Police said that Sonam Wangchuk has been transferred to the hospital as per the orders of the High Court and medical advice.

- The police told the protestors to vacate Jantar Mantar "at the earliest."

- After Sonam Wangchuk's hospitalisation, Abhijit Dipke shared a post on X, saying, "I am starting an indefinite hunger strike beginning right now."

- Following the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk, the Delhi Police have completely banned vehicles from entering Jantar Mantar. Vehicles are now prohibited from entering Jantar Mantar from any side. The Delhi Police have erected barricades on all sides. However, people can still access the area on foot.

- A woman threw ink at Abhijit Dipke in Jantar Mantar protest

- Reacting to the police statement, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, said that the Delhi High Court never "mandated hospitalisation. It stated that an individual's health is paramount and that Wangchuk's test would be conducted at an external lab. "We will handle it ourselves," she added.

- Dr Charu Lamba, medical superintendent at Safdarjung Hospital, said that Wangchuk "is fully conscious, and all parameters are stable." We will keep him for a while because there are signs of dehydration affecting his electrolyte levels. We will correct these and then review his condition again..."

- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday criticised the Centre over the removal of activist Sonam Wangchuk from his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, calling the incident “yet another black stain on democracy and the Constitution.”

- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed concern over Sonam Wangchuk’s health, saying his demand for dialogue had been met with “silence for weeks.”

In a post on X, Banerjee said, “Deeply concerned about Sonam Wangchuk’s health and well-being. He asked only for dialogue, yet his appeal has been met with silence for weeks. In a democracy, peaceful dissent deserves engagement, not silence.”

- Reacting to the hospitalisation, the Aam Aadmi Party said that police are using force against protestors and appealed to students to continue their agitation.

- Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav targeted the government over the police action, alleging that suppressing peaceful voices hurts democratic institutions. In a post on X, she said, “When peaceful voices are suppressed, the Constitution and democracy are also wounded. Suppressing the voices of people like Sonam Wangchuk is to suppress the soul of the nation.”