Activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, on Saturday raised concerns over the medical examinations being conducted on her husband at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, alleging that the authorities had not shared the test reports with the family.
Speaking in a video shared by ANI on X, Angmo said that Wangchuk was only undergoing observation and medical tests, adding that the family planned to repeat the tests at a private laboratory.
"They are only conducting observations and tests. We will get the tests done at an external lab because they have not provided us with the reports we requested. They are saying his potassium level has dropped to 2.9, but it was 4.3 yesterday, so it couldn't have fallen to that level in just one day," she said.
Her remarks came after Delhi Police removed Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar, where he had been fasting since June 28, and shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital.
Questions police action
Angmo also disputed the Delhi Police's claim that Wangchuk's removal was in line with the Delhi High Court's directions.
According to her, the High Court had only instructed that his health be monitored regularly and had not ordered that he be admitted to a hospital.
"The court simply said that an individual's health is paramount and should be monitored at regular intervals. It never directed that he be hospitalised. So this is not in accordance with the High Court's order. No treatment is underway right now," she said.
She further maintained that Wangchuk's hunger strike was continuing.
"He is still fasting. He is not consuming sugar and is only taking the same salt water that he had been drinking earlier," she said.
Angmo added that while she appreciated the government's concern, she believed there was no need for further intervention.
"I am grateful that the government cared enough to bring him here, but we will take care of the next steps ourselves. There is no need for government interference. He is certainly weak and has lost muscle mass, which is expected during a prolonged fast, but he remains alert and mentally strong," she said.
Consent for treatment
Earlier in the day, Angmo had publicly instructed doctors at Safdarjung Hospital not to administer any medication or fluids—either orally or intravenously—without the consent of the family and Wangchuk's personal medical team, which has been monitoring his health throughout the hunger strike.
In a post on X, she wrote, "I am at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi where Sonam Wangchuk has been admitted. Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenously without taking consent from me, his family and the doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days."
Questioning the need for hospitalisation, Angmo said Wangchuk had appeared stable just a day earlier.
"Yesterday, he was doing fine. There was no need to bring him to the hospital. It is my right under Article 32. Without my consent and my doctor's consent, nothing should be administered," she said, according to PTI.
Delhi Police's response
Delhi Police stated that Wangchuk had been shifted to Safdarjung Hospital for essential medical care following expert medical advice and in compliance with the Delhi High Court's directions.
In a statement, the police said that while implementing the court's orders, some protesters attempted to obstruct the process, leading to a brief commotion. However, the police exercised maximum restraint and completed the operation safely. They also appealed to protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar to vacate the site peacefully.
On Friday night, Wangchuk had reiterated his resolve to continue the hunger strike despite his deteriorating health, claiming he had already lost around 20 per cent of his body mass.
High Court's directions
Wangchuk's removal from Jantar Mantar came two days after the Centre informed the Delhi High Court that it would provide any necessary medical intervention based on the advice of doctors monitoring his condition. The assurance was given during the hearing of a petition seeking urgent medical care for the activist amid concerns over his health.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed the government to ensure that Wangchuk underwent daily medical examinations and that appropriate treatment be provided whenever required, observing that every citizen's life is valuable.
"We would like this person to be regularly medically checked by government doctors and, depending on the report of the doctors, if any medication is required, please intervene. Every life is precious," the Bench had observed.
Saturday marked the 21st day of Wangchuk's hunger strike, which he launched to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Protest and planned march
The hunger strike formed part of the Cockroach Janta Party's larger protest at Jantar Mantar, which seeks accountability, a judicial probe into alleged examination scams, and broader reforms in the country's examination system.
Wangchuk was removed from the protest site a day before the party's proposed march to Parliament, for which he had appealed to citizens to participate in large numbers.
The appeal came despite several prominent personalities urging him to end what he had described as an "indefinite" fast. According to Dr Satish Lamba, the senior physician monitoring his condition, Wangchuk had lost more than nine kilograms by the 19th day of his hunger strike on July 16.
