Delhi HC Orders Doctors to Monitor Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed government doctors to regularly monitor activist Sonam Wangchuk as his hunger strike stretched into its 19th day. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia told the Centre that any medical intervention required to save Wangchuk’s life must be carried out by authorities, observing that a citizen’s life is precious and deserves every possible protective effort.

Court Responds to Urgent Plea

The ruling came on a plea filed a day earlier warning that the 59-year-old activist could face life-threatening consequences within 48 hours if he did not end his fast. The petition, filed by advocate Rakesh Kumar Saini, accused the Central government of showing indifference toward the situation and sought directions to shift Wangchuk to a government hospital, provide medical treatment, and, if necessary, force-feed him a liquid diet.

Government Says Health Is Being Tracked

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that notice had already been issued and that Wangchuk’s condition was being closely tracked, with government doctors visiting whenever permitted and private physicians also examining him. The court subsequently ordered that check-ups continue regularly and that immediate action be taken if medical reports flagged any concern. Both the bench and the Solicitor General agreed that preserving life takes precedence.

Wangchuk joined the ongoing protest, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite fast since then. The demonstration, now in its 25th day, demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta had earlier cautioned Wangchuk against pursuing what he called a “misleading and provocative narrative” around the agitation.