Politics & Governance
Wife says Indian hunger striker is being held illegally in hospital
The wife of Indian hunger strike activist Sonam Wangchuk accused the government of using medical care as a cover for illegal detention after police took him to a hospital against his will.
New Delhi police moved Wangchuk to a government-run hospital on Saturday, citing a court order and his deteriorating health after a 20-day hunger strike against India's examination system. Wangchuk has demanded the education minister's resignation after leaked test materials led to more than 2 million students being required to retake exams.
Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk's wife, said on Sunday that she had lost faith in the hospital and that it had refused to transfer him to a private facility. She said about 30 police personnel were on their hospital floor and more than 100 were across the hospital, restricting their movement. She said she had asked the High Court to allow her to move Wangchuk, but a Delhi court rejected her request.
Angmo said Wangchuk would end his hunger strike on Monday if political leaders met him at the hospital and assured him they would raise the issue of education accountability during the Parliament session.
The hospital said Wangchuk had not consented to recommended medical care after arriving on Saturday. It said he had declined intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and all medications despite repeated counselling by his treating team and an independent expert.
India's Parliament session starts on Monday. Opposition parties have backed Wangchuk and the protests in New Delhi, where a few hundred students had joined him near his stage in recent weeks.
Several political and farmers groups were expected to go to the Jantar Mantar protest site during the Parliament session. Delhi police said no permission had been sought or granted for a proposed march by the satirical online movement Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP. Police said strict security arrangements were in place because Parliament was starting on July 20, and warned that anyone violating prohibitory orders could face prosecution.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke began his own indefinite hunger strike after Wangchuk was taken to hospital. A few hundred people gathered around Wangchuk's vacated stage at the weekend, with some carrying posters and photos of him and others demanding the education minister's arrest.
About 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security last month after the earlier test was cancelled following a leak that triggered anger and youth protests.
Update
Gitanjali J Angmo said Wangchuk would end his hunger strike on Monday if political leaders met him in hospital and promised to raise education accountability during the Parliament session.
The government-run hospital said Wangchuk had declined intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and all medications despite counselling.
Delhi police warned that no permission had been sought or granted for a proposed march by the Cockroach Janta Party as Parliament was due to begin on July 20.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke began his own indefinite hunger strike after Wangchuk was moved to hospital.
A few hundred people remained at the protest site, with some demanding the education minister's arrest.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 16:16:31 UTC.
Update
A Delhi court refused Gitanjali J Angmo's petition to transfer Sonam Wangchuk to a different hospital.
The government hospital said Wangchuk had not consented to recommended medical interventions and had declined intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and medication.
India's parliament session starts on Monday, and opposition parties have backed Wangchuk and protests in New Delhi.
Several political and farmers groups are expected to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar during the parliament session.
A few hundred people gathered on Sunday around the stage Wangchuk had used, with some demanding the education minister's arrest.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 13:03:18 UTC.
Update
Gitanjali J Angmo said she had asked the High Court to allow her to move Wangchuk to a private facility.
A Delhi court was expected to hear Angmo's petition on Sunday afternoon.
The hospital said late Saturday that Wangchuk had not consented to recommended medical interventions and had declined intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solution and medicines.
India's parliament session was due to start on Monday, and opposition parties had backed Wangchuk and the protests in New Delhi.
Political and farmers groups were expected to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar during the parliament session.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party online movement, announced an indefinite hunger strike after Wangchuk was moved to hospital.
CJP called for a protest march towards parliament from Jantar Mantar on Monday.
A few hundred people gathered on Sunday around the stage Wangchuk had vacated, some carrying posters and photos and some demanding the education minister's arrest.
About 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination last month after a previous test was scrapped over a leak.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 July 2026 at 09:55:39 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Wangchuk's future medical treatment and whether he will end his hunger strike depend on developments not resolved in the source.
The legal status of Angmo's illegal detention allegation is presented as her claim.
Source
AFP news report published on .