After being criticised for ending his hunger strike without Pradhan’s resignation, activist Sonam Wangchuk shared a statement in a YouTube video on why he decided to break his fast without the resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Expressing concerns over students who participated in the protests, Wangchuk said,” I don’t consider it essential for me to personally bring about this resignation,” he explained in a 24-minute video recorded from his hospital bed. Calling resignation a ‘trivial’ matter for the centre, he stated that they are suffering ‘intense damage’by refusing to do so. “Their reputation is being tarnished nationwide, and people are angry and filled with hatred,” Wangchuk said. He disclosed that the JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh who visited him at Medanta hospital, requested for more time and refrained from making any commitments immediately.
Expressing confidence over Pradhan’s resignation, he added- “I knew that they (Centre) wouldn’t be able to hold out for long this way and would submit the resignation sooner or later. I knew the resignation issue would resolve itself quickly since they were the ones suffering the consequences, so I didn’t press too hard on that.”He also dismissed allegations over a deal with centre and emphasised his primary gaol was to ensure students safety.Last night around midnight, I was told the ministers had agreed to give the assurance in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was such; there was apprehension that a major crackdown could happen. I was watching reports and was reminded of September 24, 2025, when police and CRPF personnel mercilessly fired at the youth of Ladakh. I was afraid something similar could happen here. I felt that if I ended my fast and appealed for peace, perhaps the situation could be diffused,” he reiterated.
“If I had to make a deal, would I have remained hungry for 26 days? Could I not have struck a deal sitting in an air-conditioned room instead of fasting in Delhi’s heat?” he said. Responsding to criticism for breaking his fsst in the presence of the ministers, Wangchuk underlined that critics were not aware of the violence that took over after he was moved from the protest site.
Wangchuk broke his fast after ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh agreed to positively consider compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak and a discussion in Parliament on accountability in the examination system in written.