New Delhi: Sonam Wangchuk, the climate activist who joined the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, ended his fast late Thursday (July 23) night. He drank from a cup offered by BJP leader and Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh.Wangchuk cited “a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country” as explanations for breaking his fast and promised more detail later. Senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh were present as he broke fast.Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda & Dr. Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days. Earlier 65 members of parliament from different political parties had visited or signed letters urging me to break… pic.twitter.com/lgRgNbiKVM— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) July 23, 2026A short while earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a video statement in which he said several steps had been taken by his government, including “catching the criminals” behind paper leaks.Modi said the government’s priority had been to ensure a NEET retest after the undergraduate paper was leaked. He said there are reports of “happy students” coming in from everywhere after this exam, but he was “not one to be content with just that” and that his government would try to speed up the promised fast-track courts.Wangchuk does not mention the prime minister or the video statement. But in another post on X in the wee hours, Modi sent wishes for the activist. “Do as the doctor says,” he wrote. “Regain lost weight”.Saurav Das, CJP spokesperson, said the measures proposed by the government such as fast–track courts are “eyewash” and people should not get “taken in” by them. “We are not backing out,” he told reporters. “We have given a call for a nationwide protest tomorrow; let there be a Jantar Mantar in every district of the country, because real awakening comes from the grassroots,” he said, while welcoming the end of Sonam Wangchuk’s fast.Saurav Das, CJP spokesperson, said the measures proposed by the government such as fast–track courts are “eyewash” and people should not get “taken in” by them. “We are not backing out,” he told reporters. “We have given a call for a nationwide protest tomorrow; let there be a Jantar Mantar in every district of the country, because real awakening comes from the grassroots,” he said, while welcoming the end of Sonam Wangchuk’s fast.#WATCH | Delhi: Saurav Das, Chief Spokesperson, Cockroach Janta Party, says, “… Tomorrow, a discussion has been called for, we are very happy that the government has agreed to our request that it be at a neutral venue. The Constitution Club of India has been chosen…” pic.twitter.com/OOBnq8bqb7— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2026Modi’s remarks drew sharp reactions from Congress party MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who said the students’ demands remain unfulfilled. “Mr. Modi, our students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Don’t insult their intelligence with this pathetic midnight video. 1. Sack Pradhan. 2. Punish those who beat students.3. Apologise,” he wrote.Mr. Modi, our students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.Don’t insult their intelligence with this pathetic midnight video.1. Sack Pradhan.2. Punish those who beat students.3. Apologise https://t.co/7SLB6pQqZx— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2026The CJP’s founder Abhijeet Dipke has said the protest at Jantar Mantar “will continue” and that its members are “relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike”. The outfit has also rejected the late-night proposals of the prime minister with a sarcastic tweet.Strict actions. https://t.co/4KWlyn8hiR pic.twitter.com/Y5Z5vGSTCo— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) July 23, 2026On Wednesday, Wangchuk had shared a video from his hospital bed saying he is “still alive” and wanted to end his fast. He said it was conditional upon students who participated in the protest march to parliament not facing any legal action.He wrote in a post on X on Thursday evening he was unhappy with the protests turning violent in some parts outside the main protest site at Jantar Mantar.The CJP had announced at Jantar Mantar soon after these messages from Wangchuk that the students’ protest would continue to “honour” the 25 days Wangchuk had been on fast. Wangchuk ultimately broke fast a day later, on Thursday.The student and youth protest at Jantar Mantar has achieved mass followings in Delhi and other cities where governments face the growing demand for a better and just examination system and accountability, especially from the Union government, which has been centralising examinations.The CJP and youth activists and student participants at Jantar Mantar have consistently rejected the notion that their protests caused violence on July 20, instead pointing to excessive force deployed by Delhi Police and RAF, who were present in large numbers and used lathis, teargas and guns against them during their ‘Sansad Chalo’ march to parliament on July 20.