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Hindus for Human Rights urges action over Wangchuk hunger strike
The advocacy group said that while opinions may differ regarding the protesters' demand for Pradhan's resignation, the government should not ignore concerns affecting millions of students and job aspirants.
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Bhavana P - Wed, 15, Jul 2026
- 18:06 EDT
- 43
Representative Image / Hindus for Human Rights
U.S.-based advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights has urged the Indian government to immediately engage with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and students participating in an ongoing hunger strike at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, warning that continued inaction could endanger lives.
In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and senior government officials, the organization called for dialogue, medical access and a transparent response to concerns over alleged examination irregularities, educational governance and institutional accountability.
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According to his doctors, Wangchuk had lost approximately 8.5 kilograms and was experiencing significant physical deterioration after 18 days on strike. The team also said at least three student protesters had been hospitalized, including one treated for hypovolemic shock.
Hindus for Human Rights said that while opinions may differ regarding the protesters' demand for Pradhan's resignation, the government should not ignore concerns affecting millions of students and job aspirants.
“As Hindus, we are taught that dharma demands courage in the face of injustice and care for those whose lives are at risk. A hunger strike is not a spectacle—it is what remains when every ordinary avenue has failed and power still refuses to listen. If people must starve before the government will hear them, that silence is itself an injustice. The government must meet the protesters now, answer the failures that brought them here, and act before indifference takes a life,” Sunita Viswanath, executive director of the organization, said in a statement,
The organization urged authorities to send an authorized representative to meet the protesters, ensure unrestricted access to medical care, publicly address the allegations raised by students, establish a time-bound process to investigate examination and recruitment irregularities, and protect the right to peaceful protest.
The letter also appealed to Wangchuk and the fasting students to prioritize their health, saying their concerns had already resonated across India and internationally.
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