Updates: Sonam Wangchuk rejects ‘deal’ allegations, 18 Delhi Metro stations closed

Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday rejected allegations that he had cut a deal with the Union government to end his hunger strike a day earlier.

This came as the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign continued its demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the conduct of competitive exams.

Solidarity protests were held in several cities on Friday.

Here’s more on this and other updates:

Sonam Wangchuk rejects ‘deal’ allegations

• In a video message on Friday night, Wangchuk said that he did not press for Pradhan’s resignation because it had become inevitable because of the ongoing protests. “Instead, I focused on getting justice for the students and young people against whom FIRs [first information reports] have been registered,” he said.
• The activist had ended his fast after midnight on Friday in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh. Wangchuk said that he wanted Opposition MPs and members of the Cockroach Janta Party to meet him in hospital but that they had not been allowed.

Delhi metro stations closed, Jantar Mantar protest continues

• The protest at Jantar Mantar continued on Saturday. Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, said that he had been diagnosed with typhoid, but “the fight will go on” until Pradhan resigns.
• Meanwhile, 18 Delhi...

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