‘Pause before you rush to criticise’: Gitanjali Angmo hits out at Wangchuk critics

NEW DELHI: Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, hit out sharply at his critics, saying that they should “pause their political judgements”.

Wangchuk ended his 26-day-long hunger strike on Friday after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government regarding the NEET examination issue and systemic reforms in the country’s competitive testing framework. She urged people to show compassion, saying he is in the ICU after losing 11 kg during the fast.

In a post on X, Angmo said, “Before you rush to criticise Sonam Wangchuk, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself. He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can offer him is a day of compassion before burdening him with our own expectations and political calculations. Not everyone is qualified to judge a life of selfless service. One must first earn the moral stature to do so. Please..Have a heart.”

Before you rush to criticise @Wangchuk66, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself.
He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can offer him is a day of…

— Gitanjali J Angmo (@GitanjaliAngmo) July 24, 2026

Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk hit out at critics questioning his decision to end his 26-day hunger strike held in support of students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak. In a video message shared on social media, Wangchuk questioned why his commitment to the cause needed a character certificate.

“After 26 days of fasting for the sake of students, losing 11 kilograms of body weight in which I have also lost muscle mass and my organs and brain reached the verge of irreversible damage, and doing all this in the scorching heat of Delhi after coming from the bitter cold of Ladakh, do I have to seek a character certificate from anyone about how sacred my fast was, about whose hands I broke it at, or whether I made a deal or not?… Shame on a country that produces such minds, from which such vile thoughts spring. I don’t blame anyone because most of you lack knowledge of what circumstances I have been through, what my family has been through in the past week or two… So before listening to anyone, be sure to look at their background. Do they hold any grudges? Are they from a political party that has grudges against another political party, or are they a neutral person? If they are neutral, then definitely listen to them…,” he said in a video.

AFTER 26 DAYS OF HUNGER DO I NEED TO PROVE MY SINCERITY !!!
Do please watch and help spread the word. Find the full 22 minutes video on my YouTube Channel: Sonam Wangchuk pic.twitter.com/6CO3tjZsSD

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) July 24, 2026

He ended his hunger strike in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital on Friday after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government regarding the NEET examination issue and systemic reforms in the country’s competitive testing framework.

In a video message shared on X, Wangchuk informed that Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited him to provide the necessary guarantees. Wangchuk further revealed that while verbal assurances were offered earlier, he insisted on a formal document, leading to a two-day delay in ending his protest. (ANI)