Sonam Wangchuk begins hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, six students join

Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakhi climate activist and innovator who inspired a generation of Indians, began a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, with six students joining him in solidarity. Wangchuk joined an ongoing demonstration by the Cockroach Janata Party, describing himself as 'forced to sit here' as his core demands — constitutional safeguards and statehood for Ladakh — remain unaddressed.

The protest at Jantar Mantar, the nerve centre of many of India's most significant demonstrations, marks a fresh escalation in Wangchuk's sustained campaign. The activist has previously led long marches and hunger strikes demanding that Ladakh be granted Sixth Schedule protections, which would give indigenous communities greater control over land and resources.

Despite several rounds of talks with the central government, no breakthrough has materialised, prompting Wangchuk to return to direct action. The presence of students alongside him suggests that his movement continues to attract young supporters who see Ladakh's constitutional status as a broader question of democratic rights.

The hunger strike will keep pressure on the government at a time when Ladakh's residents remain anxious about land rights, jobs and environmental protection in a strategically sensitive border region. All eyes will be on whether the Centre responds with renewed engagement.