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Civil Society Appeal to Sonam Wangchuk and Others on Hunger Strike at Cockroach Janata Party Protest

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We are publishing below the Appeal by over 1821 artistes, writers, academics, social activists and other concerned citizens, to all friends sitting on Hunger Strike at the Cockroach Janata Party protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi for the last 17 days to withdraw their hunger strike. The signatories have appealed to Sonam Wangchuk and all the student hunger strikers to withdraw, recognizing that this is a heartless government that does not have a conscience. They have underlined their support to the demand of the protesters for the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging them to recognize that this is a longer fight and given this government’s intransigence, the need to is preserve their strength for future struggles. Please scroll down for the full list of signatories.

Dear Friends who are sitting in Hunger Strike at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi, demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Cabinet Minister for Education in the Government of India,

We, the undersigned citizens of this country, fully support your demand and are immensely grateful to you for being our voices of protest, fighting this battle against a fascist government from the frontlines. We salute your sense of purpose, the determination, and courage with which you are spearheading this movement for students and youth across the country. But we are also very concerned for your health and well-being and the impact that this indefinite hunger strike can have on all of you.

We make this appeal because we all know that this government does not have a heart or a conscience. We have seen time again how they have behaved in the most inhuman and dastardly manner with protesters be they the women wrestlers, the farmers, Father Stan Swamy, wrongly jailed who requested for a straw to drink water, or GD Agarwal the IIT Professor and environmentalist who died in Rishikesh following a hunger strike to clean the Ganga and ban hydroelectric projects. We worry that their negligence in responding to your demands will only further worsen the already fragile state of health that many of you are in.

We request you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interests of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This battle is a marathon not a sprint and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come. We are also requesting all those in Delhi to join the Cockroach Janata Party’s March to the Parliament on July 20, 2026. We hope you will understand that our appeal to you is a testament of both our unconditional love and deep respect for each one of you and what you stand for. Zindabad to your spirit.

With love,
Concerned Citizens

Anuradha Chenoy, Academic, Delhi
Jayati Ghosh, Academic, Delhi
Tanika Sarkar, Academic, Delhi
Arundhati Roy, Writer, Delhi
Nivedita Menon, Academic, Delhi
Sanjay Kak, Filmmaker, Delhi
Lalita Ramdas, Peace and Human Rights Activist, Hyderabad
Kavita Srivastava, President PUCL, Rajasthan
Madhu Bhushan, Feminist, Bangalore
Jean Dreze, Economist, Ranchi
Ratna Pathak Shah, Actor, Mumbai
Naseeruddin Shah, Performing Artist, Mumbai
Aditya Nigam, Scholar, Delhi
Arundhati Ghosh, Cultural Practitioner, Bangalore Continue reading Civil Society Appeal to Sonam Wangchuk and Others on Hunger Strike at Cockroach Janata Party Protest →

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A Fast That Ended in Hunger- Thoughts on Irom Sharmila and Hunger Strikes: Anirban Bhattacharya

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Guest Post by Anirban Bhattacharya

Iram Sharmila Mural at ‘Freedom Square’ JNU. Art by Shijo Suleman and the Fearless Collective. Photograph by Rebecca John. Image, courtesy, ‘The Great Walls of India’ blog on Graffiti and Wall Art

We may have differences in our political approach as to the way and means of the struggle, but what must be stated at the outset is the fact that Irom Sharmila has certainly been an icon of resistance and inspiration in the struggle against AFSPA.

Her 16 year long hunger strike has been a grim reminder of the crimes against the Manipuri people – rape, torture, fake encounters and massacres – committed by the armed forces with impunity under such draconian Acts like AFSPA. But her abrupt decision to end her fast accompanied with her willingness to contest elections in the upcoming assembly elections have met with a mixture of shock, scepticism, disappointment, puzzlement and even anger amongst her people in Manipur and even her close associates. There also seems to be a resentment against her being in a relationship and her plan to marry. Such scrutiny/dragging of her personal life are, however, quite deplorable. But overall, the disappointment with the decision of Irom to quit fasting and contest elections is so strong that, after breaking her fast in the hospital, when she tried to go to a local activist’s shelter, the locals disapproved. She had to seek temporary shelter in an ISKCON temple along with her police guards and then was shifted to a police station and finally she was forced to retreat to the same hospital that housed her for last 16 years. Now, this is telling. But what does it tell? The answer to this question would take us away from criticisms about any particular individual, but to the evaluation of the very method of struggle that she had been a part of, its scope, effectivity and limitations.

Continue reading A Fast That Ended in Hunger- Thoughts on Irom Sharmila and Hunger Strikes: Anirban Bhattacharya →

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Urgent Help Needed in Koodamkulam

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As you all might be aware around 15000+ people are gathering everyday for more than 4 days from 3 south Tamil Nadu districts as part of an indefinite hunger strike to stop the Koodamkulam Nuclear Plant.

More than 100 people are on indefinite fast and some people’s health are turing bad as well. They are more or less in a isolated situation within the village of Idinthakari near Koodamakulam. There is a huge battalion of Police waiting outside the village venue. The police is trying to block the free passage of people into the village. The state administration and central administration has neglected the protest till now. The non-violent protest needs to be sustained, but people are losing their patience. The leaders who are very few in number though exhausted after 4 days of sleepless nights are trying their level best. Continue reading Urgent Help Needed in Koodamkulam →