Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh after securing a written assurance on the NEET issue and examination reforms.
Gitanjali J Angmo urged critics to show compassion, saying Sonam Wangchuk remained in intensive care after losing 11 kg during his 26-day fast. | IANS
Criticism of Sonam Wangchuk’s decision to end his 26-day hunger strike has drawn a forceful response from his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, who said the activist deserved compassion while recovering in intensive care.
Angmo said Wangchuk had lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, during the fast. She asked critics to consider its physical toll before questioning his motives or applying political calculations to his decision.
Advertisement
“Before you rush to criticise Sonam Wangchuk, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself,” Angmo wrote on X.
Advertisement
“He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can offer him is a day of compassion before burdening him with our own expectations and political calculations.”
Angmo said people judging Wangchuk should first consider his record of public service and the physical price he had paid.
“Not everyone is qualified to judge a life of selfless service. One must first earn the moral stature to do so. Please..Have a heart,” she added.
Before you rush to criticise @Wangchuk66, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself.
He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can offer him is a day of…— Gitanjali J Angmo (@GitanjaliAngmo) July 24, 2026
Wangchuk also responded to critics in a video message. He rejected suggestions that ending the fast raised questions about the sincerity of his protest or indicated that he had struck a deal.
“After 26 days of fasting for the sake of students, losing 11 kilograms of body weight in which I have also lost muscle mass and my organs and brain reached the verge of irreversible damage, and doing all this in the scorching heat of Delhi after coming from the bitter cold of Ladakh, do I have to seek a character certificate from anyone about how sacred my fast was, about whose hands I broke it at, or whether I made a deal or not?” he said.
Wangchuk said people commenting on his decision did not necessarily understand what he and his family had experienced during the preceding weeks.
He urged the public to examine whether those making allegations were politically motivated or speaking from a neutral position.
Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after receiving a written assurance from the Union government concerning the NEET examination controversy and broader changes to the competitive testing system.
He broke the fast in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital.
Wangchuk said verbal assurances had been offered earlier, but he waited for a formal document before ending the protest.
Advertisement
