Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 28, was removed from the protest site and taken to the hospital by the Delhi Police on Saturday. He was taken to the government-run Safdarjung Hospital, where he was admitted to the emergency ward. “He is conscious, and his vitals are stable,” sources from the protest site told our agency.
In a tweet, the police said the action was taken in accordance with orders from the Delhi High Court and expert medical advice concerning the 59-year-old’s deteriorating health.
DELHI HIGH COURT’S DIRECTIONS
Wanghchuk’s removal from Jantar Mantar came two days after the Centre told the High Court that it would provide any required medical intervention to him on the basis of advice of doctors monitoring his health. The submission was made as the court heard a plea seeking urgent medical care for the Ladakhi activist amid growing concerns over his health.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia had directed the government to ensure daily clinical monitoring of Wangchuk’s health and take necessary steps whenever required, observing that the “life of any citizen is precious.”
“We would like this person to be regularly medically checked by government doctors and, depending on the report of the doctors, if any medication is required, please intervene. Every life is precious,” the Bench had orally observed. Saturday would have
been the 21st day of Wangchuk’s hunger strike, which he had begun while demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET examination irregularities.
Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP’s) chief spokesperson, Saurav Das, posted on X a video that captured the chaos when cops, some in uniform and others in civilian clothes, made their way to the stage at the protest site to take Wangchuk to the hospital.
Wangchuk was removed by the police from the protest site a day ahead of the CJP’s planned march to Parliament. He had urged citizens to join him in the march in large numbers. The appeal had come amid growing calls from several imminent personalities to end what he had vowed to be an “indefinite” fast. By Thursday, July 16, which was the 19th day of his hunger strike, Wangchuk had lost more than 9 kg of his body weight, according to Dr Satish Lamba, a senior general physician who had been monitoring his health. Later, on Friday, Wangchuk himself said he had lost nearly 20 per cent of his body mass since starting the fast.
