Congress MP Shashi Tharoor issued an open letter on Wednesday urging activist Sonam Wangchuk to conclude his indefinite hunger strike. Tharoor noted that the demonstration at Jantar Mantar had already raised national awareness about student concerns and suggested that these issues should now be discussed in Parliament.
In the letter, Tharoor directly appealed to Wangchuk, stating that the fast had achieved its purpose of highlighting the problems. He emphasized that India requires Wangchuk’s continued involvement in future efforts.
With Parliament resuming sessions on Monday, Tharoor indicated that members could address student grievances in the democratic forum. He advised against continuing the fast until death.
Wangchuk persisted with the strike despite physical deterioration and significant discomfort after 18 days. Additional calls came on Tuesday for him to stop and for authorities to start discussions.
Separately, the Cockroach Janta Party, protesting at the same location for 25 days regarding NEET, presented a five-point plan for exam changes and reported growing political support.
As Wangchuk’s condition declined, figures such as Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray, and Arvind Kejriwal requested he end the fast. Actor Zeenat Aman also called for government talks, warning against allowing harm to a prominent thinker.
Wangchuk declined to stop. A petition reached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday requesting forced feeding, citing weight loss of 8.5 kg and risk of death within two days.
The CJP marked its 25th day of protest, releasing the reform charter and noting increased backing.
Tharoor called on the central government to initiate dialogue with demonstrators, describing it as responsible leadership.
He expressed support for the students, whose frustration stems from feeling let down despite following rules. Drawing from his background, Tharoor highlighted the importance of fair exams for opportunities, noting that leaks and cancellations harm ordinary families most.
