Delhi HC to hear on Thursday PIL over Sonam Wangchuk’s deteriorating health

The Delhi High Court said it will hear on Thursday a public interest litigation raising concern over the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar here.

The Cockroach Janta Party has been holding the protest for over 25 days demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.

Wangchuk joined the agitation on June 28 and has been on an indefinite fast since then.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia on Wednesday deferred hearing on the PIL after noting that none appeared for the authorities amid the ongoing work abstention called by the high court’s bar association.

“Having regard to urgency, list tomorrow,” the bench said.

The court ordered that a copy of the order be served to the Additional Solicitor General concerned and the Delhi government counsel.

Petitioner Rakesh Kumar Saini said the situation was “sad” and “most unfortunate” as a protesting citizen was “virtually taking his life in front of the whole nation.”

In his PIL, Saini sought direction to the authorities to come to Wangchuk’s aid and “discuss the issue” with him.

It also sought a direction to force-feed the activist.