He fasted 26 days, lies in ICU today: Gitanjali Angmo hits out at Wangchuk critics

Social activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, on Friday hit out sharply at his critics, saying that they should pause their political judgements and remember the personal price the activist had paid. Her remarks came less than 24 hours after Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike in support of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) agitation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other examination irregularities.In a post on X, Angmo revealed that Wangchuk is currently admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after losing 11 kg during the prolonged fast. "Before you rush to criticise @Wangchuk66, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself," she wrote."He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can offer him is a day of compassion before burdening him with our own expectations and political calculations."Appealing for compassion, Angmo added, "Not everyone is qualified to judge a life of selfless service. One must first earn the moral stature to do so. Please... Have a heart." Her post drew support from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who credited Wangchuk with galvanising the movement through his sacrifice. "By risking his own life, Sonam sir has awakened an entire nation. We should all be grateful to Sonam sir for what he has done for this country," Dipke wrote on X. The criticism began soon after Wangchuk ended his fast late on Thursday following talks with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, with visuals of Nadda offering him juice to break the fast drawing sharp reactions online.Among the first to question the development was Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha, who wrote on X: "Time for him to go home, eat well and recuperate, he's not needed anymore." The post did not go well with many of his followers, with several users pointing out that it was in poor taste and not in the spirit of a democratic movement. As his remark drew criticism, Sinha clarified on Friday that he was not objecting to Wangchuk ending the fast, but to the circumstances in which he did so. "No one expected Wangchuk to fast forever, that would be stupid. But the last few days, he's acted as an individual and not as a part of a collective," Sinha wrote. He questioned why Wangchuk chose to break his fast with Nadda, saying it gave legitimacy to a government that had recently cracked down on student protesters. He also questioned Wangchuk's willingness to accept the Centre's assurances, saying the government had a long record of making similar promises, and argued that the activist had once again turned a collective movement into an "individual performance".Later in the day, after the BJP shared a video of Wangchuk ending his fast and said the decision reflected his trust in the Modi government's commitment to students' interests, Sinha posted: "Sonam Wangchuk playing right into the hands of BJP."GOVERNMENT'S OUTREACHWangchuk ended his fast after two days of intensive engagement between the Centre and the protesters. The government announced a series of measures, including fast-track courts for paper leak cases, a proposed law providing for stringent punishment for those involved in examination leaks, and assurances that it was positively considering not registering cases against peaceful protesters and compensating families of students who allegedly died by suicide in connection with recent examination controversies.WANGCHUK'S HEALTH UPDATEEven as the political debate intensified, Medanta Hospital in Gurugram said Wangchuk remained stable. "He is being treated by a multidisciplinary team of doctors. He has broken his fast and is presently being fed a liquid diet as per the requirements. He continues to be stable and alert, with vital signs within accepted parameters. He remains under continuous observation and his clinical parameters are being monitored," the hospital said in a medical bulletin on Friday evening.Wangchuk had joined six AISA activists on an indefinite hunger strike on June 28, eight days after the CJP launched its protest at Jantar Mantar. His deteriorating health became the defining image of the agitation, eventually prompting the Centre to open negotiations that culminated in the end of his fast on Thursday night.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka KumariPublished On: Jul 24, 2026 21:11 IST