Premium

Sonam Wangchuk to Express: CJP protest has no political colour, PM should be sensitive

"A resignation, or accountability, is merely the starting point. The door must then open to determine the right course of action," says Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk., NEET protest

Activist Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for several days at the Jantar Mantar (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

Written by: Saurabh Dwivedi

5 min readNew DelhiJul 14, 2026 12:14 PM IST First published on: Jul 14, 2026 at 06:21 AM IST

Activist Sonam Wangchuk entered the 16th day of his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Monday, as part of the protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leak of NEET-UG questions.

Speaking to Indian Express Hindi, Wangchuk urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the “voice of the people”, and urged “leaders from all parties” to join the protest. Excerpts:

* The opposition to your protest suggests that the basic issue is a comprehensive reform of the exam system. Will the resignation of an individual resolve this?

Definitely not, but it will pave the way for accountability. Until the government institutes accountability, this kind of impunity and arbitrary decision-making will continue. This is not just an indictment of the education system, but of the entire Indian society. What sort of doctor would you get if the exam paper is leaked? Such doctors would be attending to your children; engineers who passed by cheating would construct your buildings, which will eventually collapse, and lives will be lost.

Also read | ‘Left mall job, doing course in politics’: A night at Cockroach Janta Party’s Delhi protest

More importantly, honesty holds no value in the country today. Everything operates on dishonesty; everything is up for sale — from exam papers to votes. How can any country progress like this? Forget becoming a ‘developed’ nation, how will we even be able to face this global village?

* Today marks the 16th day of your hunger strike. Has the Narendra Modi government made any contact with you, directly or indirectly?

No. So, our attempt now is to make our voice even louder so that it can reach them. If it has not reached them, it is not just the fault of the government, it is also the fault of the people of this country who have not helped to amplify it to an extent that it can be perceived as a critical issue. Will you wait to raise your voice until you are alone with nobody beside you? If the people come out and raise their voices, the government will have no choice but to engage in a dialogue to resolve it. But we hope that the government is not so insensitive. Perhaps they will attempt to resolve the matter in a day or two.

Read | ‘History will ask what India did’: CJP’s open letter on Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike

* Are the channels for dialogue open? If you are invited for talks, is it possible that you may agree on the broader issue of long-term reforms, rather than just insisting on the resignation?

A resignation, or accountability, is merely the starting point. The door must then open to determine the right course of action. This issue must be debated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. And to formulate those broader reforms, the government should rope in these young people or educationists like me.

* Does it bother you that the support visible on social media is not reflecting on the ground? The turnout is relatively low. You had to appeal from the stage one day, asking people to show some courage.

About 5,000-7,000 people turn up throughout the day. The numbers may not have exceeded our expectations, but they aren’t so low as to cause concern. People should observe a one-day fast in solidarity. They must take some of this pain upon themselves to convey the gravity of the situation to the government.

* People have pointed out that if the objective is the same, why are you on the stage while Left-affiliated students are protesting on the ground? Also, since Left student outfits like the AISF, SFI and AISA dominate the gathering here, some people are keeping their distance.

We have extended an invitation to the BJP as well. I personally urge everyone to join me on the stage, but I was told that due to the sheer numbers, it wouldn’t be feasible. I leave these logistical decisions to the organisers.

Also read | ‘Left mall job, doing course in politics’: A night at Cockroach Janta Party’s Delhi protest

* Are the organisers expecting Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to join the protest?

I am very hopeful that leaders from all political parties will come. If they don’t, it will only reflect their narrow-mindedness, and the public will eventually reject them. This platform has no political colour.

* Did you have any apprehensions before associating yourself with the CJP?

I researched them and spoke with them. I don’t believe they are doing this for personal gain. As for the future, everyone is free to enter politics if they choose to do so.

* What would be your message to PM Modi?

It is in the long-term interest of the government to listen to the voice of the people. He should be sensitive, not rigid. A democracy is run through empathy and compassion, not through rigidity. I have never met him personally.