Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday renewed his appeal to education activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike as the fast entered its 25th day.
The appeal came a day after Wangchuk was shifted from Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana, following permission from the Delhi High Court. The transfer was allowed while hearing a plea filed by Wangchuk's wife.
In a video message posted on X, Dipke expressed concern over Wangchuk's deteriorating health, saying his life was in serious danger after 25 days of fasting. He urged the activist to break his hunger strike, assuring supporters that the movement would continue regardless.
"The country needs him, and his life is far too precious to be put at further risk," Dipke said, adding that the protest at Jantar Mantar would continue peacefully until the government accepted the movement's demands.
He also asserted that the agitation would not end even if Wangchuk discontinued his fast, reiterating that protesters would continue their campaign until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. Appealing to supporters to maintain peace, Dipke said the movement would follow the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar and warned against any actions or slogans that could tarnish the protest or the country's image.
His remarks came shortly after CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the Delhi Police had informed the organisation that Union Minister J.P. Nadda wished to hold talks with the protesters.
According to Das, the organisation declined the invitation to meet at the minister's residence, insisting that any discussions should take place at Jantar Mantar, where the "janata darbar" was being held. However, he said the group was willing to meet at a neutral venue near the protest site if the government had genuine security concerns.
Das said the government must clearly indicate its willingness to accept the protesters' demands, arguing that there was little value in "meaningless discussions" while thousands of people continued to participate in the agitation. He added that the organisation was still awaiting the government's response.
