We need you: Naseeruddin Shah salutes Sonam Wangchuk, urges him to stop fasting
Actor Naseeruddin Shah has urged Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike, saying, "We need you" for the longer battle ahead. In a joint statement, he praised Wangchuk's courage while expressing concern over his deteriorating health.
Actor Naseeruddin Shah, in a joint statement with actor Ratna Pathak Shah, writer Arundhati Roy and economist Jayati Ghosh, appealed to educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike. They extended their support to the ongoing protest over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Wangchuk's fast at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has entered its 17th day.
Wangchuk is part of the protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged leak of NEET-UG examination papers.
According to PTI, the signatories issued a joint statement on Monday. They said they were "immensely grateful" to Wangchuk and the protesters for continuing the movement, but expressed concern over their deteriorating health.
"We salute your sense of purpose, the determination and courage with which you are spearheading this movement for students and youth across the country," the statement read.
Appealing to Wangchuk and the other protesters to end the hunger strike, they added, "We request you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interests of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This battle is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come."
The statement also expressed concern over the government's silence on the protesters' demands. "We worry that their negligence in responding to your demands will only worsen the already fragile state of health that many of you are in," it concluded.
Meanwhile, actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur Ramalingam (Silencer) in 3 Idiots, also voiced support for Wangchuk. Sharing an emotional video on Instagram titled - I don't want Phunsukh Wangdu to die, Vaidya urged people to pay attention to the cause Wangchuk is fighting for. The character of Phunsukh Wangdu in the film was inspired by Wangchuk's life.
Recalling his meeting with Wangchuk, Vaidya described him as an interesting and humble person who had accomplished incredible things in his life. He urged people to learn more about Wangchuk and the cause he was fighting for, noting that the activist had been on a prolonged hunger strike and that his blood sugar levels had dropped significantly.
Vaidya also said that support for Wangchuk should go beyond political or ideological differences. He called Wangchuk an impressive person and expressed hope that he would survive the hunger strike, regardless of whether people agreed with his views.
Vaidya concluded by encouraging people to look into the issues being raised by Wangchuk, saying they could relate to them personally or through the experiences of their family and friends.
Wangchuk and CJP have received support from several political leaders since the protest began in Delhi on June 20. Wangchuk joined the indefinite hunger strike on June 28. Along with seeking Pradhan's resignation, the protesters are demanding Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the reported examination paper leaks. They have also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
Actor Naseeruddin Shah, in a joint statement with actor Ratna Pathak Shah, writer Arundhati Roy and economist Jayati Ghosh, appealed to educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike. They extended their support to the ongoing protest over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Wangchuk's fast at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has entered its 17th day.
Wangchuk is part of the protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged leak of NEET-UG examination papers.
According to PTI, the signatories issued a joint statement on Monday. They said they were "immensely grateful" to Wangchuk and the protesters for continuing the movement, but expressed concern over their deteriorating health.
"We salute your sense of purpose, the determination and courage with which you are spearheading this movement for students and youth across the country," the statement read.
Appealing to Wangchuk and the other protesters to end the hunger strike, they added, "We request you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interests of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This battle is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come."
The statement also expressed concern over the government's silence on the protesters' demands. "We worry that their negligence in responding to your demands will only worsen the already fragile state of health that many of you are in," it concluded.
Meanwhile, actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur Ramalingam (Silencer) in 3 Idiots, also voiced support for Wangchuk. Sharing an emotional video on Instagram titled - I don't want Phunsukh Wangdu to die, Vaidya urged people to pay attention to the cause Wangchuk is fighting for. The character of Phunsukh Wangdu in the film was inspired by Wangchuk's life.
Recalling his meeting with Wangchuk, Vaidya described him as an interesting and humble person who had accomplished incredible things in his life. He urged people to learn more about Wangchuk and the cause he was fighting for, noting that the activist had been on a prolonged hunger strike and that his blood sugar levels had dropped significantly.
Vaidya also said that support for Wangchuk should go beyond political or ideological differences. He called Wangchuk an impressive person and expressed hope that he would survive the hunger strike, regardless of whether people agreed with his views.
Vaidya concluded by encouraging people to look into the issues being raised by Wangchuk, saying they could relate to them personally or through the experiences of their family and friends.
Wangchuk and CJP have received support from several political leaders since the protest began in Delhi on June 20. Wangchuk joined the indefinite hunger strike on June 28. Along with seeking Pradhan's resignation, the protesters are demanding Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the reported examination paper leaks. They have also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.
