Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Forces Education Minister's Resignation

Engineer and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk conducted a 26-day hunger strike in Delhi from June 28 to July 24 to support the Cockroach youth protest movement. The movement formed in May after a nationwide medical college entrance exam was cancelled due to a paper leak, an event linked to several student suicides.

The movement adopted its name after Chief Justice Surya Kant compared unemployed youth to "cockroaches and parasites." Following a police crackdown, Wangchuk's fast revitalized the protests, contributing to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25.

Wangchuk, who previously served six months in prison under anti-terrorist laws for protests in Ladakh, now calls for a "second independence movement." He advocates for the installation of leaders of integrity and the removal of individuals with criminal backgrounds from elections. While pushing for systemic change, Wangchuk supports the Cockroach movement's decision to operate as a pressure group rather than transitioning into a formal political party.