Sonam Wangchuk ends fast as Indian students keep up minister ouster protests

NEW DELHI: Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike on Friday over leaked medical school entrance exam papers, but youth-led protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were set to continue in the biggest challenge from young people to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government since he took office in 2014.

The demonstrations are being led by the self-styled Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which says Pradhan should step down over the exam leak controversy. The leaks affected around 2 million students in May and have been linked to several student suicides.

Wangchuk said on X that he had broken his fast in the presence of two federal ministers after appeals from scores of members of parliament and following what he described as negotiations over several conditions.

""a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country.""

He did not provide further details, but said he would explain the discussions in a video later.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked the 59-year-old activist in a video message and said the campaign would continue until the education minister resigned.

""We won't let Sonam sir's sacrifice go in vain,""

Late on Tuesday, Pradhan said in his first remarks since calls for his resignation began that the government was committed to addressing concerns and reforming examinations. The protests have also received support from opposition parties, which have disrupted the monsoon session of parliament that opened this week.

After Wangchuk ended the fast, Modi urged him on social media to follow medical advice and regain the weight he had lost during the protest.

Protests expand in Delhi and beyond

Protesters called for countrywide demonstrations on Friday in support of students who alleged police brutality during Monday’s march on parliament, when tens of thousands took part. Even as Modi’s government urged protesters to join talks, thousands had returned to the Jantar Mantar protest site by Thursday afternoon, carrying anti-government posters and chanting slogans under heavy security.

The agitation had disrupted central Delhi, with metro closures, mobile internet restrictions and business activity affected. Authorities shut 16 metro stations in and around central Delhi on Thursday, causing difficulties for commuters.

The government also ordered telecom companies to block mobile internet services in the area, affecting not only the demonstrators but also shops and restaurants that depend on phone-based digital payments. Separately, the New Delhi Traders Association asked offices and businesses in Connaught Place to close early on Thursday, citing a municipal advisory linked to the security situation.

The measures have been viewed by human rights groups as an effort to contain protests and avert any further violence. More than 10,000 people had gathered at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday night, and some demonstrators threw stones and plastic bottles at police, injuring several officers, according to Delhi Police as quoted by ANI. During Monday’s clashes near parliament, police used tear gas and canes to disperse protesters.

The protest movement has also spread to other cities, including Ranchi, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata.

CJP rejects Modi court plan

Earlier on Thursday, Modi announced that special courts would be established to try those responsible for exam paper leaks, marking his first public response to the issue.

""Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!""

However, CJP rejected the proposal, saying prosecutions after leaks address only part of the issue. Responding to Modi, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka questioned why leaks were occurring in the first place and argued that fast-track courts had been created before for other issues without necessarily resolving them. Later the same day, Modi said on social media that the government would announce stricter steps against paper leaks at a cabinet meeting on Friday.

Several leading Bollywood actors, including Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor, backed the protesters through social media posts, saying it was encouraging to see students unite behind a cause. The CJP campaign began as online satire with only a few hundred participants before gaining momentum, reflecting wider frustration among young Indians over repeated exam leaks and a shortage of jobs.