Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has said he called off his 26-day hunger strike after receiving written assurances from the government.
He said he took the decision after fearing an imminent crackdown on protesters and in a bid to avert violence, recalling the police firing on youth in Ladakh in September 2025.
In a video post late on Friday, Wangchuk rejected claims that he had struck a deal with the government.
He stressed that his chief concern was shielding protesting students from violence or legal action.
He said he had deliberately avoided demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the talks, prioritising the protection of protesters instead, though he expects Pradhan to step down eventually.
“I was being told around midnight that ministers had given written assurances, amid fears that a crackdown was imminent in Delhi,” he said.
Addressing criticism over ending his fast in the presence of ministers, he questioned why he would have endured 26 days of hunger merely to negotiate.
Wangchuk also alleged mistreatment, claiming that after 18 July he was being mistreated at Safdarjung Hospital, with restricted movement, no visitors, and the confiscation of his phone and laptop. He compared the conditions to “being in North Korea”.
He said Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital, where they agreed to consider compensation for students who died allegedly following the NEET paper leak, along with a parliamentary discussion on examination accountability.
He held firm, however, on securing written — not verbal — assurances against legal action on protesters.
Also read: Wangchuk ends 26-day-long hunger strike after govt assurance
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