Activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his 26-day hunger strike late Thursday night following a meeting with Union Minister JP Nadda. In the aftermath, a section of critics online suggested the move amounted to him quietly negotiating a deal with the government to end the protest.
Late Friday night, Wangchuk released a fresh video message rejecting that narrative outright. He pushed back on the idea that he needed to keep proving his sincerity after weeks without food, framing the criticism as an unfair burden placed on someone who had already made a significant personal sacrifice.
The reaction to his strike ending has been mixed — some have praised him for calling it off, while others have been sharply critical online. His wife, Geetanjali J. Angmo, addressed the criticism directly in an earlier post, revealing that Wangchuk had lost around 11 kg, including muscle mass, during the strike and was currently admitted to the ICU. She urged people to pause their political judgments and first acknowledge the personal cost he had borne by choosing sacrifice over rest.
The episode has unfolded alongside broader unrest in Delhi, where student groups and opposition parties have continued protests at Jantar Mantar over a separate paper-leak controversy.
