Wangchuk said he would end his hunger strike if the Centre gave an assurance that no punitive action would be taken against students and youth who participated in the protest.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday said he urged activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite fast during a visit to him at Medanta Hospital, adding that the Centre would respond to the open letter Wangchuk wrote after their meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Nadda said he and Union Minister Jitendra Singh had visited Wangchuk after he was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta.
“We went to inquire about his well-being. He had been shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta. Since he was in the ICU, the environment there was very restricted. During our visit, we inquired about his health and well-being. We also requested him to break his fast, join the mainstream, and guide the children in the right direction,” Nadda said.
He added that the government remained open to dialogue on the issues raised by Wangchuk.
“Our government is open to discussions on all issues and is always willing to address them. Today, he wrote me an open letter. We will respond to that letter, and after responding, we will ensure that the talks move forward,” the minister said.
Earlier in the day, Wangchuk said he would end his indefinite hunger strike if the Centre gave an unequivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against students and youth who participated in the protest against the alleged examination irregularities.
In his letter addressed to Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Wangchuk said the two Union ministers had assured him during their meeting that the government would positively consider his demands for adequate compensation to the families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak, as well as a meaningful discussion in Parliament on examination irregularities, including the demand for accountability.