The wife of an Indian activist on hunger strike, hospitalized against her will, accused the government on Sunday of “illegal detention” disguised as medical care.
Police cited a court order and “deteriorating health” on Saturday when they arrested Sonam Wangchuk, who had refused to eat since June 28 to protest alleged cheating on university exams.
The 59-year-old activist demanded the resignation of the education minister after leaked exam materials forced more than 2 million students to retake exams.
Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk’s wife, said she had “lost faith” in the government hospital which she said had refused her desire to transfer her husband to a private facility.
“With about 30 police officers stationed on our floor and well over 100 throughout the hospital, our movement is severely restricted,” Angmo said.
“This is not about medical care. This is illegal detention,” she said, adding that she had asked the High Court to allow her to move Wangchuk.
The hospital said Saturday evening that Wangchuk had not yet consented to recommended medical interventions.
“Despite repeated advice from the healthcare team and the independent expert regarding the urgent need for treatment, the patient refused intravenous fluids, oral rehydration solutions and all medications,” the hospital said.
The Indian Parliament session begins Monday and opposition parties have supported Wangchuk as well as ongoing protests in New Delhi, where a few hundred students have joined him around his stage in recent weeks.
Several political and agricultural groups are expected to visit New Delhi’s protest site, Jantar Mantar, to demonstrate during the parliamentary session.
The founder of the online satirical movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, announced an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday after Wangchuk was transferred to hospital.
Some 2.2 million aspiring medical students took a new exam under high security last month after the previous test was scrapped following a leak that sparked widespread outrage and fueled youth protests.
