Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his 26-day hunger strike after discussions with senior members of the federal government, but Protestants said that the nationwide protest movement over education reforms will continue until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan steps down.
Wangchuk announced on Friday that he had ended his fast following appeals from members of parliament and talks with two federal ministers.
Writing on social media platform X, he said, "The decision came after lengthy negotiations and concerns over the possibility of further violence.”
However, he did not disclose the details of the discussions or any commitments made by the government.
His hunger strike became a powerful symbol for a growing protest movement that began more than a month ago in response to allegations of question paper leaks affecting some of India’s most competitive entrance examinations.
What started as student-led demonstrations has since developed into one of the country’s largest public protest movements in recent years.
The campaign has expanded beyond concerns about examination integrity, reflecting wider frustration over youth unemployment, government accountability and access to economic opportunities. Demonstrations have attracted students, professionals, families and civil society groups in New Delhi and several other cities.
Despite Wangchuk ending his fast, protest organisers insisted that the campaign would continue. They renewed calls for nationwide demonstrations and maintained their demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, which has played a leading role in organising the protests, said, "The movement will continue in honour of Wangchuk’s sacrifice.”
The group’s name references remarks previously made by India’s Chief Justice comparing some unemployed young people to cockroaches, comments that were widely discussed and later adopted by activists as a symbol of protest.
The demonstrations have become one of the most sustained expressions of public dissatisfaction faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration recently.
Thousands of protesters have continued to gather despite clashes with police, who earlier this week used tear gas and batons to disperse crowds that were attempting to march towards Parliament.
The protests have also intensified following allegations that several students suffered injuries during police action at a march in the capital. Activists have called for fresh rallies across the country in solidarity with those affected.
Prime Minister Modi addressed the issue publicly for the first time on Thursday, announcing plans to establish fast-track courts to deal with cases involving examination paper leaks.
He also said the government intended to introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening legal action against those responsible for compromising public examinations.
However, protest leaders argued that the government’s response falls short of their wider demands. Alongside reforms to the examination system, demonstrators are seeking greater political accountability and support for families who say they have lost relatives to suicide linked to examination-related pressures and alleged paper leaks.
Although Wangchuk’s hunger strike has come to an end, organisers say the broader campaign remains active, signalling that public pressure on the government is unlikely to ease until protesters believe meaningful reforms have been delivered.
