NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule visits Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar, says “will fight in Parliament” for NEET students

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule met activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar on Friday, who is on the 20th consecutive day of a hunger strike at the protest site, urging him call off his prolonged fast and asserted that the matter of NEET-UG students would be raised in the Monsoon Session of the parliament which starts on July 20.
Speaking after the meeting, Sule said that the Opposition would carry his fight forward inside Parliament.
"We have come to request Sonam Wangchuk to give up the hunger strike. If there is a fight to be fought, we will all fight it in Parliament as well. The parliamentary session begins on Monday; we will raise all these issues, including the concerns of the NEET students," Sule said.
Wangchuk, an engineer, education reformer and climate activist from Ladakh, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to press for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following nationwide examination irregularities and the high-profile NEET paper leak controversy.
Sule's appeal adds her to a growing list of Opposition leaders who have visited the activist over the past week, urging him to end the strike, amid mounting concern over his health.
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday met activist Sonam Wangchuk and urged him to end his fast in view of his deteriorating health.
In a post on X after the meeting, Khera said peaceful protest is a constitutional right in a democracy and asserted that it is the government's duty to engage with citizens who undertake a fast to have their voices heard.
"In a democracy, peaceful protest is a constitutional right. When citizens undertake a fast to be heard, the duty of the government is to listen -- not look away. That is Raj Dharma," Khera said.
Drawing parallels with previous governments, the Congress leader said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the UPA government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2011 had engaged with protesters despite differences.
On Thursday, Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav were among the opposition leaders who met and expressed solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Meanwhile, Wangchuk's health parameters as of 9:30 am on July 17 showed his weight at 56.55 kg, a reduction of 350 grams in 24 hours. Blood pressure was 108/68, blood sugar 70 mg/dL, and pulse rate 72 per minute.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday observed that "the life of every citizen is precious and all efforts ought to be made by the government authorities to save the same," while directing that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's medical condition be clinically monitored on a daily basis during his ongoing hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
The Court further directed that any medical intervention required, based on the opinion of government doctors, should be provided. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the directions while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Rakesh Kumar Sahni, who sought the Court's intervention over Wangchuk's deteriorating health.
While dictating the order, the Bench noted that the petition expressed concern over Wangchuk's health and recorded that he had been on a fast at Jantar Mantar for the past 17-18 days in support of certain demands. (ANI)