'No medicine without consent': Sonam Wangchuk's wife after he was shifted to hospital

New Delhi: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife and social entrepreneur and educator Gitanjali J Angmo, has appealed that no medication be administered to her husband without her consent and that of his treating doctor after Delhi Police took him into custody and shifted him to hospital on the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike.

‘No medicine should be administered to Sonam Wangchuk without consent from me and my doctor’said his wife Gitanjali J Angmo. Her statement came shortly after Delhi Police said Wangchuk had been moved to Safdarjung Hospital, on the directions of the Delhi High Court and on expert medical advice because of his deteriorating health.

Wife appeals for consent before treatment

In a public statement following Wangchuk's hospitalisation, Angmo said no medicine should be given to the activist without her approval and that of his doctor.

Just a day earlier, she had met Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar and urged him to end his hunger strike. Speaking after the meeting, she said she conveyed the concerns of supporters from across India and appealed to him to continue the campaign through other democratic means instead of risking his health.

However, Wangchuk declined the request, telling her that the hunger strike was "my way and my determination".

Delhi Police cites court order

Delhi Police said Wangchuk was shifted to hospital in compliance with directions of the Delhi High Court and based on expert medical advice.

According to the police, some protesters attempted to obstruct the transfer, leading to a brief commotion. The force said officers exercised "maximum restraint" while carrying out the operation and later appealed to the remaining protesters to vacate Jantar Mantar peacefully.

Health concerns had intensified

Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 in support of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination system and demands for examination reforms.

By the 20th day of the fast, he said he had lost nearly 20 per cent of his body weight. He also told supporters that while he had become physically weak, he remained mentally determined to continue the movement.

His health had been under continuous medical observation, and a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was earlier filed before the Delhi High Court seeking urgent medical intervention, citing severe weight loss, repeated low blood sugar episodes and the risk of life-threatening complications.

A partnership rooted in education and sustainability

Gitanjali J Angmo has worked alongside Wangchuk for years on educational and sustainable development initiatives in Ladakh.

The couple have been associated with the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an alternative education movement that helps students who struggle in the conventional school system. Wangchuk is widely recognised as the founding force behind SECMOL, while Angmo has been actively involved in supporting its educational initiatives and community work.

They have also been associated with the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), an institution established to promote innovative, place-based higher education focused on mountain sustainability, renewable energy, appropriate technology and entrepreneurship for Himalayan communities.

Over the years, the couple have worked together to promote environmentally sustainable technologies, climate resilience and education reforms in Ladakh, making Wangchuk one of India's best-known education reformers and climate advocates.

Government yet to open talks

The current hunger strike is part of a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. The group has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the examination system, including the NEET-UG controversy, a judicial probe into alleged examination scams, and comprehensive reforms to India's competitive examination process. Sonam Wangchuk joined the CJP-led agitation on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with the movement, saying it was aimed at seeking accountability for students and restoring public confidence in the examination system. Despite the fast continuing for more than three weeks and repeated appeals from protesters and civil society groups, the Centre has not announced formal talks with the CJP over its demands.

Despite Wangchuk's prolonged fast and repeated appeals by supporters, Opposition leaders and civil society groups for dialogue, the Centre has not announced any formal talks with the protesters.

Not the first police intervention

This is not the first time Wangchuk has faced police action during a protest.

In 2024, he and several supporters were detained by Delhi Police after attempting to enter the national capital during the Delhi Chalo march from Ladakh, which sought constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory. The protesters were stopped at the Delhi border and later released.

The latest custody and hospitalisation come under different circumstances, with Delhi Police maintaining that the action was taken solely on medical grounds following court directions. However, the incident has once again placed Wangchuk's protest at the centre of national attention as questions continue over the government's response to the protesters' demands.

Opposition react

Opposition leaders on Saturday strongly criticised the Delhi Police after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken into custody and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital during his 21-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia alleged that the Centre was trying to silence those raising their voice against examination irregularities, while MP Sanjay Singh termed the police action "thuggery" and claimed Wangchuk was forcibly removed instead of his demands being heard. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that police personnel entered the protest site in plain clothes and used white sheets to block cameras during the operation, allegations that have not been officially addressed by Delhi Police.

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose described the action as "coercive state violence", while Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav called it "an assault on democracy and the Constitution".

Delhi Police defended the operation, stating that Wangchuk was shifted to hospital in compliance with Delhi High Court directions and on expert medical advice due to his deteriorating health. Police said some protesters attempted to obstruct the transfer, causing a brief commotion, but officers exercised "maximum restraint" and completed the operation safely before asking protesters to vacate Jantar Mantar peacefully.

Wangchuk had been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 after joining the Cockroach Janta Party's protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak, along with wider reforms to India's examination system.