Wangchuk's Wife Seeks Court Transfer to Private Hospital
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- Gitanjali Angmo approached an Indian court seeking permission to transfer Wangchuk from state-run Safdarjung Hospital to a private facility of her choice, alleging 'illegal detention' and saying the hospital refused to discharge him despite repeated requests.
- Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk's vital parameters were stable but blood parameters remained 'marginally altered,' requiring sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock monitoring.
- Sonam Wangchuk, 59, had been fasting since June 28 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is demanding federal Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign over May exam paper leaks that affected millions of students.
- Wangchuk told government doctors on Friday he did not wish to be moved to a hospital, and on Saturday was refusing treatment altogether, according to hospital authorities.
- Delhi Police stationed approximately 30 personnel on Wangchuk's hospital floor and over 100 across the facility, severely restricting his family's movement, Angmo said.
- Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered authorities to watch Wangchuk's health closely and intervene if needed, responding to a separate petition asking authorities to force-feed him as his condition weakened.
- CJP plans to march to Parliament on Monday, the first day of its latest session, to press demands for Pradhan's resignation.
Why it matters: With ~30 police on one hospital floor, a hunger striker refusing treatment, and a court-ordered health watch in place, Wangchuk's protest has become a rare open challenge to Modi's government ahead of Monday's Parliament session, where CJP plans to demonstrate over exam paper leaks that derailed millions of students — turning a health standoff into a political confrontation over dissent.
