NEW DELHI: Delhi police forcibly moved Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk to hospital on Saturday after his 20-day hunger strike against India’s examination system raised serious health concerns.
Wangchuk, 59, had been fasting at Jantar Mantar since June 28, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in medical entrance examinations.
A few hundred students had joined him in recent weeks, while the satirical Cockroach Janta Party online movement also organised protests over paper leaks, exam cancellations and student frustration.
Delhi police said Wangchuk was shifted to hospital on expert medical advice and in line with court orders due to his deteriorating health.
“As per the orders of the high court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care,” a senior police official said.
Police said some protesters tried to obstruct the action, causing a brief commotion, and urged those at Jantar Mantar to vacate the site peacefully.
Videos from the protest site showed confusion among Wangchuk’s supporters as police hurriedly moved him from the stage.
A New Delhi court had earlier ordered government doctors to monitor Wangchuk’s health daily, saying the life of every citizen was precious.
Hours before being taken to hospital, Wangchuk said smaller movements had brought down governments in India, adding that “here it is about education.”
The protest follows outrage over a medical entrance examination paper leak that forced millions of students to sit for a re-test under tight security.
