Centre Assures No Cases Against Peaceful Protesters as Sonam Wangchuk Ends 26-Day Fast

Hours after ending his 26-day indefinite hunger strike, activist Sonam Wangchuk said the Centre had given him a written assurance that no legal action would be taken against peaceful protesters who participated in the NEET paper leak protests.

In a video shared on X, Wangchuk released the government’s written statement, signed by Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, stating that the Centre was “positive on not registering cases against those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar and those participating in the July 20 march to Parliament.”

Sharing the document, Wangchuk said the government had assured him that students and youth involved in the protests would not face punitive or retaliatory action.

Written commitments from the Centre

Besides protection for peaceful protesters, the Centre also assured:

• A detailed Parliamentary discussion on the NEET paper leak and broader examination reforms.
• Positive consideration of compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.

Wangchuk said the assurances came after Union ministers met him at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram along with leaders of the Ladakh Apex Body.

He added that around 65 Members of Parliament from across political parties had also appealed to him to end his fast, promising to raise the issue of examination reforms in Parliament.

Two days of negotiations

Wangchuk revealed that negotiations with the government continued for two days because he insisted on receiving the commitments in writing, particularly regarding the protection of peaceful protesters.

Earlier this week, he had formally requested an unequivocal assurance that no participant in the protests would face legal or retaliatory action.

The activist had launched his hunger strike on June 28, demanding accountability for the alleged NEET paper leak and calling for education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. During the fast, he reportedly lost around 11 kg.

After being removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site by Delhi Police and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital, Wangchuk was later transferred to a private hospital following a Delhi High Court order.

The written assurances ultimately led him to end his fast, which had drawn support from opposition leaders, student groups and civil society organisations.