Quick Answer: Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike late Thursday night after meeting Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, shortly after Modi’s statement on social media promising action on the paper leak issue. CJP has not called off the protest, though — the Jantar Mantar sit-in goes on until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns, and government-CJP talks are underway today at the Constitution Club of India.
Delhi’s exam paper leak protest hit a big turning point this week. Wangchuk had been fasting since June 28, standing behind the Cockroach Janta Party’s Jantar Mantar protest, and he finally broke that fast late Thursday night after Nadda and Jitendra Singh sat down with him in person and handed him a written assurance. He later said it took two days of back-and-forth to get there. Just hours earlier, Modi’s statement had already gone out on Instagram, with the Prime Minister talking up fast-track courts and tougher punishment for those behind the NEET-UG paper leak. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke welcomed the news but made his party’s position clear, the protest isn’t stopping until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. A CJP delegation is meeting government representatives at the Constitution Club of India today, so this story is still moving.
Quick Summary
- Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike has ended after 26 days, following a written assurance from the government.
- CJP hasn’t backed off its Jantar Mantar protest.
- A CJP delegation is meeting the government today at a neutral venue.
- Dharmendra Pradhan is still in his post as Union Education Minister.
- Modi has promised fast-track courts and a Bill against paper leaks.
- Congress has called the government’s response a “smokescreen.”
- Opposition MPs are protesting at Parliament’s Makar Dwar over the issue.
PM Modi’s Late-Night Statement
Just before Wangchuk broke his fast, Modi’s statement went out on Instagram, his most direct comments yet on the paper leak controversy. He said his government had issued directions to set up fast-track courts and that a Bill with stricter punishment for paper leak offenders would soon clear the Cabinet. He also acknowledged how much the issue has hurt students and their families.
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CJP wasn’t convinced. Congress’s Randeep Surjewala went further, calling the fast-track courts announcement a “smokescreen,” and pointed out that the government had already passed an anti-paper-leak law back in 2024 that clearly hadn’t solved the problem.
Also Read – Top 7 Biggest Protests Happening in India Right Now
Latest Status
| Topic | Current Status |
| Hunger Strike | Ended, after a written government assurance |
| CJP Protest | Ongoing |
| Government Talks | Happening today at Constitution Club of India |
| Dharmendra Pradhan | Still Education Minister |
| Anti-Paper Leak Bill | Promised by Modi, expected before Cabinet |
| Parliament | Opposition MPs protesting at Makar Dwar, day 5 of Monsoon Session |
Timeline Of Events
| Date | Event |
| June 20 | CJP protest begins at Jantar Mantar |
| June 28 | Sonam Wangchuk starts his hunger strike alongside it |
| July 20 | CJP’s march to Parliament; Das and Ranka meet Nadda at his residence, later say they were kept under “virtual detention” |
| July 23 (night) | Modi’s statement on Instagram; Wangchuk ends his hunger strike after Nadda and Jitendra Singh give him a written assurance |
| July 24 | CJP delegation meets government at Constitution Club of India; opposition MPs protest at Makar Dwar |
At A Glance
| Point | Details |
| What Started It | The alleged NEET-UG paper leak and wider irregularities in the exam system |
| Protest Began | June 20 at Jantar Mantar, led by CJP |
| Hunger Strike | Wangchuk joined on June 28 |
| CJP’s Memorandum | Three demands — Pradhan’s resignation, Wangchuk’s release, and ₹1 crore compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died |
| Government Response | Written assurance to Wangchuk, willingness for talks, and a promised anti-paper-leak Bill |
| Current Situation | Fast over, protest and talks both continuing |
Why This Protest Matters
This has grown into one of the biggest student-led movements India has seen in years, and it’s about more than one exam. Protesters keep coming back to the same point, repeated paper leaks have worn down trust in the country’s competitive exam system, and they want real accountability, not another law that ends up like the one passed in 2024.
It’s spread past Delhi too, with opposition parties, students, and civil society groups all weighing in, turning it into a bigger conversation about education reform and how the government responds to public anger.
The Real Story Behind The Exam Paper Leak Protest
CJP kicked off its Jantar Mantar protest on June 20 over the NEET-UG paper leak, demanding accountability, education reforms, and Pradhan’s resignation. Sonam Wangchuk joined a week later on June 28, going on an indefinite hunger strike because, in his own words, he wanted to stand with students asking for fairness and transparency in public exams.
Why Did Sonam Wangchuk End His Hunger Strike?
Twenty-six days without food had clearly taken a toll. According to his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, he ended the fast after receiving a written assurance from the government on student demands and NEET-related concerns. Wangchuk himself said it took two days of negotiation to reach that point.
There was already friction building before this. On July 20, CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met Nadda at his residence and later claimed they were kept under what they called “virtual detention” during that meeting. That’s exactly why CJP pushed for any further talks to happen only at a neutral venue — a request the government eventually agreed to.
Why CJP Says The Protest Isn’t Over
Abhijeet Dipke’s message once news of the broken fast came in was blunt and emotional at once: relief that Wangchuk’s life was no longer at risk, paired with a clear line that the protest continues. “Our peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” he said, thanking Wangchuk for the sacrifice that he said had “awakened the conscience of an entire nation.”
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das welcomed the government’s decision to hold talks at a neutral venue, saying the dialogue would focus squarely on the concerns students have been raising all along. The party’s memorandum sticks to three points — Pradhan’s resignation, Wangchuk’s release, and ₹1 crore in compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who died. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has struck a more conciliatory tone, calling it a “standing invitation” to students for talks at any time, and saying the government doesn’t stand on prestige when it comes to resolving the issue.
Also Read – CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke Leaves for India from US Ahead of Big Delhi Protest: ‘Fate in Hands of Constitution’
What Happens Next?
A few things worth watching:
- The outcome of today’s Constitution Club of India talks between CJP and government representatives.
- Whether the anti-paper-leak Bill clears Cabinet and moves to Parliament.
- Continued opposition protests inside Parliament, including today’s demonstration at Makar Dwar.
- Whether CJP’s core demand — Pradhan’s resignation — gets any traction.
Conclusion
Wangchuk’s 26-day hunger strike is over, and that’s a real milestone in a movement built around the NEET-UG paper leak. But CJP’s protest hasn’t slowed down — their demand hasn’t changed, Pradhan is still in his post, and talks with the government are happening today at a neutral venue. With opposition MPs adding pressure inside Parliament and Congress calling the government’s response a smokescreen, this is far from a settled story.
- Wangchuk has ended his 26-day hunger strike after a written government assurance.
- CJP says its Jantar Mantar protest continues until Pradhan resigns.
- A CJP delegation is meeting the government today at Constitution Club of India.
- Modi has promised fast-track courts and a stronger anti-paper-leak Bill.
- Congress has dismissed the government’s response as a “smokescreen.”
FAQs
Why did Sonam Wangchuk begin a hunger strike?
He joined CJP’s Jantar Mantar protest in support of students demanding accountability after the NEET-UG paper leak.
Did CJP end its protest after Wangchuk ended his fast?
No. CJP says the protest continues until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
Why did Sonam Wangchuk end his hunger strike?
He ended it after Nadda and Jitendra Singh gave him a written assurance, following two days of negotiation, as confirmed by his wife Gitanjali Angmo.
Has Dharmendra Pradhan resigned?
No. He remains Union Education Minister as of the latest information.
What are CJP’s core demands?
Pradhan’s resignation, Sonam Wangchuk’s release, and ₹1 crore compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who died.
What happens next?
CJP and government representatives are holding talks today at the Constitution Club of India, while Parliament continues discussions on the paper leak and exam reforms.
Source and Reference:
NDTV: Sonam Wangchu to end his hunger strike
Instagram: PM Modi midnight video
Times of India: PM Modi Statement
NDTV: CJP protesters’ passports to be cancelled
The Hindu: CJP jantar mantar protest
Dw: Wangchuk ends hunger strike
