Who has supported Sonam Wangchuk so far? A look at list of politicians, actors amid hunger strike concerns

The CJP-led protest in New Delhi has now entered its 25th day. Wangchuk, 59, joined the demonstration on June 28 and began his indefinite hunger strike.

Published on: Jul 15, 2026, 12:40:29 IST

Edited by Aryan Mudgal

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Educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk has continued his indefinite hunger strike, refusing to call off his protest over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and alleged irregularities in the CBSE's on-screen marking system, demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As concerns over his health grow, several politicians and actors have come out in support and urged him to end his fast.

Several public figures, including AAP's Atishi and TMC's Mahua Moitra, have expressed their support for Wangchuk. (PTI/X via @Cockroachisback)

The CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi has now entered its 25th day. Wangchuk, 59, joined the demonstration on June 28 and began his indefinite hunger strike at the venue in support of the campaign. Follow live updates related to Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike here.

With concerns rising over his worsening health, several public figures, including actors, writers and politicians, have expressed their support for Wangchuk while urging him to end his hunger strike.

ALSO READ | 'Force feed Sonam Wangchuk': Plea in Delhi HC seeks liquid diet, hospitalisation for climate activist on hunger strike

Here are some of the personalities who have backed the activist:

Politicians who extended support to Wangchuk

Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh
Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) founder and former chief minister of West Bengal
Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram
Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena-UBT chief and former chief minister of Maharashtra
Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former chief minister of Delhi
Atishi, AAP MLA from Kalkaji and former chief minister of Delhi
Mahua Moitra, TMC MP from Krishnanagar
John Brittas, CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha MP
Sagarika Ghose, TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP
Priya Saroj, SP MP from Machhlishahr
Rohit Pawar, NCP-SP MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed
Saket Gokhale, TMC national spokesperson and former Rajya Sabha MP
Anish Gawande, NCP-SP spokesperson

Celebrities who extended support to Wangchuk

Shabana Azmi, actor
Zeenat Aman, actor
Prakash Raj, actor
Chinmayi Sripada, singer
Vir Das, comedian and actor
Omi Vaidya, actor
Arundhati Roy, author
Naseeruddin Shah, actor
Ratna Pathak Shah, actor
Soni Razdan, actor
Swara Bhasker, actor

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aryan Mudgal
Aryan Mudgal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly three years of experience. He is part of the digital news team at HT and enjoys covering day-to-day news and writing long, detailed explainers on key national and global affairs. He takes particular interest in reading and writing about Indian politics, crime, civic issues, as well as global affairs. He goes berserk when covering elections, especially Lok Sabha and assembly polls, and always looks out for fresh stories that could intrigue readers. At Hindustan Times, Aryan has covered various major events, including the Bihar assembly elections, Maharashtra civic polls, the US' military action in Venezuela, Union Budget, and Bangladesh elections. He has previously worked with the explainers team at Firstpost and the news desk at Times Network, covering a range of events including the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Israel–Hamas war, Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh’s student protests and Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Delhi assembly elections, and more. He completed his bachelor’s degree in CEP (Communications & Media, English, and Psychology) from Christ University, Bengaluru, and later pursued a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). He hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and enjoys reading about politics and day-to-day issues concerning the state. Outside of work, Aryan loves listening to music and enjoys rewatching his favourite comfort shows.Read More

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