As climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike entered its 17th day on Tuesday (July 14), support for him continued to grow, with actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur Ramalingam or “Silencer” in the Bollywood film 3 Idiots, urging people to pay attention to the cause Wangchuk is fighting for.
In a video shared on Instagram, Vaidya made an emotional appeal, saying, “I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die,” referring to the beloved character from 3 Idiots that was inspired by Wangchuk’s life.
The appeal came as Wangchuk’s health remained under close watch. According to updates from the protest site, he has lost 8.5 kg since beginning the hunger strike, while his blood pressure was recorded at 109/70.
‘He’s done some incredible stuff’
Recalling his interaction with Wangchuk, Vaidya described him as an inspiring and humble individual and urged people to learn more about his work and current campaign.
“I’ve met this guy. He’s a pretty interesting character. He has done some incredible stuff in his life and he seems pretty humble, which is kind of fantastic,” Vaidya said.
Wangchuk is on a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET-UG paper leak, which sparked a social media-driven political movement under the banner of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Tuesday also marks the 25th day since the organisation launched its protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Encouraging people to educate themselves about the issue, he added, “I suggest you look him up and see what he’s up to because right now he is on a very long hunger strike. It’s over many, many weeks and his blood sugar has gone down very much.”
Vaidya also expressed concern that the issue may not be receiving enough attention.
‘Whether you agree with him or not’
The actor said support for Wangchuk should go beyond political or ideological differences.
“Whether you agree with him or not, I don’t really want this guy to die,” he said. “I think he’s a pretty impressive person and I would like for him to live.”
Vaidya argued that the concerns raised by Wangchuk could affect ordinary people and their families as well.
“We’re just regular people and we have regular lives and sometimes we’re too busy to deal with this stuff. But if you look into these issues, I think that you may agree with him and you may see yourself having the same issues, or your family members or your friends, or maybe you’ve had these issues in the past.”
Leaders come out in support
Wangchuk and the Abhijeet Dipke’s CJP have drawn support from leaders across the political spectrum as the protest continues in Delhi. Several political leaders have visited the agitation site in recent days and expressed solidarity with the movement.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra appealed to Wangchuk to end his hunger strike while continuing the campaign. An AAP delegation led by former Delhi chief minister Atishi visited the protest site on Monday and extended support to the agitators.
The movement has also received backing from former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who voiced support for the outfit and its demands. Separately, CPI(M) MP Amra Ram, along with senior party leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, visited the protest venue and endorsed the campaign.
The CJP launched its protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 20, with Wangchuk joining the agitation on June 28. He has been on an indefinite hunger strike since then.
The outfit is demanding the resignation of education minister Pradhan and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following alleged examination irregularities.
The group has also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
