What Irom Sharmila, who fasted for 16 years, thinks about Sonam Wangchuck’s hunger strike

Manipur activist Iron Sharmila said that Indians in large numbers should join activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 26. The “burden to correct the system” does not fall solely on Wangchuk, but is the responsibility of every citizen who has a conscience and wants to bring about change, she said.

Wangchuk’s hunger strike is part of the protest by the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on account of alleged mismanagement in conducting competitive exams.

“It is not Sonam’s burden alone and people should not expect him to be martyred,” Sharmila told Scroll over a phone conversation from Bangalore, where she now lives with her twin daughters and husband. “It is a collective cause and demand, and everyone should join him and if everyone comes to the street, the security forces won’t be enough and the government will have to address the issue.”

She added: “For collective cause, persistence and united voices are needed for social change. You can not just let the individual protestor become a martyr.”

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day, with the Ladakh-born educator losing more than 9 kilograms as...

Read more