Swara Bhaskar met Sonam Wangchuk on the 17th day of hunger strike, expressed support
Actress Swara Bhaskar visited Jantar Mantar and met engineer-activist Sonam Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dubeyke during the activist’s indefinite fast. Their message of solidarity came as concerns over Wangchuk’s health and calls to end the strike intensified.
Actress Swara Bhaskar visited Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday, where she met activist Sonam Wangchuk and Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijit Dubike amid Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike. He also shared about this trip on social media.
Sharing a post from the protest site on her Instagram Stories, Swara wrote for Abhijeet, “Thank you for fighting for the future of all our children,” and said of Wangchuk, “Tireless tireless Sonam Wangchuk sir fighting for the future of your children. Solidarity and gratitude from my side.”
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It has been 17 days since Wangchuk started his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar with the Cockroach Janata Party. The demand to end the indefinite fast intensified after Dupke shared an update on Twitter on Tuesday, saying Wangchuk’s muscles had started deteriorating and he was in extreme pain.
Many actors took to social media to share their views on the hunger strike and urge action. The official Instagram account of Cockroach Janata Party shared two pictures of Swara at the protest site. “Bearless and fearless actress Swara Bhaskar joins protests at Jantar Mantar!”. Read the caption.
CJP is protesting at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. Wangchuk joined the movement on June 28 and has been on an indefinite fast since then. The organization has also announced a Parliament march on July 20.
On Monday, writer Arundhati Roy, actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, filmmaker Sanjay Kak and others appealed to the CJP to end the indefinite hunger strike. Part of their statement read, “We urge you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interest of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This fight is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come.”
Meanwhile, actor Omi Vaidya shared a video on social media in which he introduced himself as “Chatur” 3 idiotsBefore making an emotional appeal, he said, referring to Aamir Khan’s character in the film, “I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die.” He said, “Right now, he is on a very long hunger strike. His blood sugar has gone very low. I don’t know if you have heard about it or not. I don’t know if the media is reporting it or not. But it is a very important thing.”
Wangchuk’s hunger strike at Jantar Mantar has now entered its 17th day and support and appeals continue to pour in from public figures. Swara Bhaskar’s visit, Dipke’s update on Wangchuk’s health, and the call from writers and actors to end the fast have kept the focus on the protests on the NEET controversy and the CJP’s demands.