Sonam Wangchuk enters Day 20 of hunger strike, doctors warn of organ failure
"I don't want to say this, but Sonam Wangchuk is on his deathbed," Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke said in an emotional appeal
"I don't want to say this, but Sonam Wangchuk is on his deathbed," Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke said in an emotional appeal on Thursday. Dipke, who has shared the stage with the climate activist since Wangchuk began his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 28, made the remarks in a video released by the CJP. Wangchuk has been demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over a series of examination paper leaks, including NEET. Read Full Story In the video, Dipke said Wangchuk had become so frail that "his bones are visible." He also claimed the activist narrowly escaped falling twice while walking to the washroom on Thursday. Videos that surfaced on social media the same day appeared to underscore his deteriorating condition. A visibly weak Wangchuk was seen stepping down from the stage with the support of several people, including Dipke, as he made his way to the washroom with slow, faltering steps. Yet, despite his condition, he paused to smile and wave at supporters -- many of them students and parents who had travelled from Delhi-NCR and other parts of the country. Dipke also recalled trying to persuade Wangchuk to end his fast on Thursday, only to be firmly rebuffed. "You just shut up. Don't ask me to stop my hunger strike. Ask why the government is not listening to us," Wangchuk told him, according to the video shared on the CJP's official YouTube channel. Wangchuk's health has entered what doctors described as a critical stage as his hunger strike stretched on, with warnings on Thursday that the next phase could be alarming and may affect his organs.
The warning came amid appeals from political leaders, public figures and organisations asking him to end his fast, even as the matter reached the Delhi High Court. Wangchuk, however, said ending the fast without any response from the government would send the wrong message. In a video message released late on Wednesday night, he said he could continue for many more days and instead asked people to strengthen the Cockroach Janta Party's proposed Parliament march on July 20. Hearing a PIL that raised concerns over Wangchuk's health, the Delhi High Court directed the authorities to monitor his condition daily and provide medical assistance if it worsens. "We observe that the life of any citizen is precious, and all medical efforts ought to be made by government authorities to save the same," the bench said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre as well as the Delhi government, told the court that every life was precious and there was no objection to Wangchuk undergoing regular medical check-ups. According to the latest medical bulletin issued by Dr Satish Lamba, Wangchuk has lost more than nine kgs since starting his hunger strike on June 28 and now weighs 56.9 kg. Lamba said Wangchuk had entered a critical stage of prolonged fasting. He explained that after glucose reserves are exhausted, the body begins to use fat and then muscle. He said Wangchuk's ketone level had reached 3-plus and had come down to 2-plus after hydration improved, while his uric acid remained high, indicating that muscles were being consumed.
The BriefWire