'Too Precious to Lose': Artists & Academics Appeal to Sonam Wangchuk, Govt

Arundhati Roy, Zoya Akhtar among public figures urging Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike

'Too Precious to Lose': Artists, Academics Appeal to Sonam Wangchuk

(Photo: X/ @abhijeet_dipke)

A group of over 60 filmmakers, writers, actors, journalists and academics has signed an appeal to activist Sonam Wangchuk requesting him to end his hunger strike.

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of the Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan and statehood for Ladakh. His hunger strike has entered its 20^th day. The Delhi High Court, on 16^th July, directed the Centre and the Delhi government to monitor Wangchuk’s medical condition, following a PIL seeking immediate intervention for the same. As per The Hindu, Wangchuk has reportedly lost over 9 kg since the start of his hunger strike.

Among the signatories are Nobel laureate economist Abhijit Banerjee; writers Amitav Ghosh, Arundhati Roy, Anita Desai and Kiran Desai; filmmakers Zoya Akhtar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta, Kiran Rao and Payal Kapadia; and actors Nandita Das, Freida Pinto, Jim Sarbh, Konkona Sen and Aasif Mandvi.

The appeal describes Wangchuk as “our collective conscience, a great protector and ally of the environment and of young people in India.” Appealing to him to end his fast, they wrote that he is “too precious to lose in this tragic way.” The appeal further urges “that the authorities initiate a dialogue with this committed citizen and honor the spirit of public service that Sonam Wangchuk represents.”

The appeal comes ahead of a planned march to the Parliament by the Cockroach Janta Party on the 20^th of July, on the first day of the Parliament’s monsoon session, in which Wangchuk has vowed to participate.

Here's the full list of people who have signed the appeal.

(Image: The Quint)

(Image: The Quint)

(Image: The Quint)