Activist Abhijit Dipke said yesterday that Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike, was supposed to conclude his fast but now decided to continue it.
To the media, Dipke said:
Sonam Wangchuk was about to end his fast yesterday. But now he says he won’t end his fast.
DIPKE : "Sonam Wangchuk was about to end his fast yesterday. But now he says he won't end his fast"
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) July 21, 2026
These people don't want Wangchuk to end his fast for political gains. pic.twitter.com/H1KKHJqE1a
Dipke also stated that some people or groups were trying to prevent Wangchuk from ending his fast for political reasons. He said the hunger strike is being driven by political motives rather than by dialogue.
These allegations are Dipke’s and have not been independently verified. Sonam Wangchuk and his representatives did not speak to us about the reason for continuing the fast in response to Dipke’s comments.
Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, education reformer and environmental advocate, has been at the heart of recent protests, calling attention to issues associated with Ladakh and other public concerns. His protest has drawn support from various civil society groups and public figures.
The hunger strike has also become part of the wider political debate; leaders of different parties have aired differing views on the protest and the government’s response. Supporters have viewed the fast as a peaceful democratic response to the public concerns, while political debate has intensified around the movement.
No official statement has been made by Wangchuk's team answering Dipke's allegations so far. But this is a very fluid situation, and we expect more clarity once stakeholders respond in public.
The developments take place in the context of high political pressure on ongoing protests and public demonstrations in the national capital, and in response, groups want to speak out and resolve the issues.
