Activist Wangchuk says Modi government broke promise over hunger strike photos

ISLAMABAD: Activist Sonam Wangchuk has claimed that India's Narendra Modi-led government failed to honor an agreement by releasing photographs of his meeting with Union ministers after he ended his 26-day hunger strike. He said the incident left him disappointed with political leaders across party lines.

Speaking to India Today, Wangchuk alleged that Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh had assured him that no photographs of their late-night meeting would be released until opposition leaders and student representatives were also included in the announcement.

"The ministers had got their own photographers. They pledged to me they wouldn't release the pictures, but they broke the promise," Wangchuk said.

The activist explained that in Ladakh, it is customary for government representatives to offer juice or soup to end a protest fast after accepting protesters' demands. However, he said he did not want the moment to be portrayed as an achievement of the ruling party alone.

"I wanted leaders from other political parties and student representatives to be present so it would appear to be a joint effort," he said.

Since the ministers arrived after midnight, Wangchuk said an alternative arrangement was agreed upon.

"I told them I would end the fast, but the news would be released on my terms, with photographs including opposition leaders and, if possible, student representatives so it reflected a collective effort," he said.

According to Wangchuk, senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials present at the meeting were made witnesses to the understanding.

"I told the IB officers they were witnesses to the agreement and that no images should be released until I made the announcement with all parties represented. They agreed," he said.

However, Wangchuk claimed the agreement was broken within minutes.

"While I was waiting to collect photographs of leaders from other parties, a senior IB officer came and informed me that the images were already being aired on television channels," he recalled.

Rejecting allegations that he had reached a "midnight deal" with the government, Wangchuk said he had no interest in political bargaining.

"If I wanted to make a deal, I could have done it much earlier. I wouldn't have continued a 26-day hunger strike. I could have sought a much bigger political position if that was my intention," he said.

'The broke their promise'

The activist added that the episode had shaken his faith in political leaders.

"They broke the promise. I have lost trust in all these leaders," he said.

Wangchuk had joined the Abhijeet Dipke-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest over the entry exam issue and began his hunger strike on June 28 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

After his health deteriorated, police shifted him to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on July 18, prompting protests from students who alleged that he had been moved against his wishes.

Following a court petition filed by his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, Wangchuk was transferred to a private facility, where Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him.

He ended his 26-day hunger strike on July 24 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a late-night video message on measures against paper leaks and reforms to the examination system. Photographs of the ministers offering Wangchuk soup to break his fast later surfaced, triggering the controversy.