Indian activist moved to hospital after 20-day hunger strike

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Delhi police forcibly moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital on Saturday over health concerns after 20 days of his hunger strike to protest against India’s examination system.

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Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting since June 28 to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations to study medicine.

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A few hundred students have also joined Wangchuk around his stage at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in recent weeks, with other protests also organised by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party online movement.

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“As per the orders of… high court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care,” a deputy commissioner of Delhi police said in a statement.

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“While complying with the orders… the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued,” the statement added.

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“We request the protestors at Jantar Mantar to peacefully vacate the place at the earliest.”

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A video from Jantar Mantar showed confusion among a few Wangchuk supporters at the site in the morning as police, carrying white sheets, hurriedly moved him from the stage.

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A New Delhi court ordered government doctors on Thursday to monitor the activist’s health daily.

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The “life of any citizen is precious,” the court said after a petition filed by activist lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini warned that Wangchuk may not survive for long if he does not break his fast.

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“Whatever medical intervention is needed to save Sonam Wangchuk’s life should be done,” the Delhi High Court ordered on Thursday.

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An engineer by training, Wangchuk is best known for pioneering water conservation projects in the Himalayas.

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A few hours before he was picked up by the police, Wangchuk said: “Smaller movements have brought down many governments in India… and here it is about education.”

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Last month some 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security after the previous test was scrapped following a paper leak that triggered widespread outrage.

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The failure of the hugely competitive exam, along with a separate marking fiasco in high school tests, sparked an outcry and fuelled youth protests.

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Several members of opposition parties have voiced their support for Wangchuk and the student activists.

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