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Knews Desk– Social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on hunger strike at Jantar Mantar for 26 days demanding reforms in the education system and accountability in the examination system, has ended her fast. After ending the fast, he released a video message on social media saying that his fight is not over, but now accountability has started. Wangchuk said that he has taken this decision after the confidence he received from the government and MPs of various political parties.

In the video message, Wangchuk said that he has been assured by the Central Government that the country’s deteriorating examination system and the issue of fixing accountability in it will be discussed in Parliament. He said that this was not just his personal movement, but a question to the future of millions of students and youth. Therefore, it is very important to have a serious debate on this issue in Parliament. Sonam Wangchuk also said that the government has assured her that appropriate compensation will be given to those families to the recent NEET exam paper leak case, whose children allegedly committed suicide due to mental stress. Apart from this, no punitive action or new cases will be filed against the students and youth who are protesting peacefully. He said that if the government implements these promises then it will be an important step in the interest of the students.

Wangchuk said that during his fast, about 65 MPs from different political parties came to meet him. These MPs appealed to them to end the fast and assured in writing that they would strongly raise the demands of reforming the examination system, incidents of paper leaks and fixing accountability within the Parliament. He said that representatives of both the ruling party and the opposition have taken this issue seriously, which gave him positive hope. He also said that the ministers from the government side also talked to him and assured that examination reforms and issues to students will be discussed. Wangchuk said that he was earlier waiting for these assurances in writing, due to which he had to extend his fast by a few more days than the scheduled time. After finally getting the trust, he decided to end his 26-day-old fast on 23 July.

Sonam Wangchuk clarified in her message that the end of the fast does not mean the end of the movement. He said that now the most important phase is of accountability. The government, Parliament and all political parties will have to keep their promises. If transparency, fairness and accountability are not ensured in the examination system, the confidence of students will further weaken in future. He also expressed his gratitude to the students, youth, teachers and common citizens across the country who supported this movement peacefully. Wangchuk said that in a democracy, permanent solutions emerge only through dialogue and constitutional process. Now everyone’s eyes will be on how soon the promises made in the government and Parliament come to fruition and what concrete steps are taken to improve the examination system.