Veteran actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha has publicly praised the daughter Sonakshi Sinha to speak in support of activists Sonam Wangchukwho has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak issue.A day later Sonakshi After Sinha’s emotional video urging the government to initiate a dialogue with Wangchuk went viral, Shatrughan took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his concern over the activist’s deteriorating health while applauding his daughter for speaking up.
Shatrughan Sinha urges government to intervene in Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike
In his post, Shatrughan Sinha described Sonam Wangchuk as a “climate activist” and “education reformer” who has been protesting peacefully in support of students affected by the alleged leak of NEET-UG exam papers.Highlighting Wangchuk’s poor health after nearly three weeks of fasting, Shatrughan appealed to the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the authorities concerned to intervene immediately.“He has been on a fast unto death for a right cause for almost 3 weeks now, in poor health… Govt, concerned authorities, our Hon’ble PM @narendramodi & @PMOIndia must meet their demands and intervene immediately… Save Wangchuk!” he wrotePraising her daughter, she added, “Pride of my family, my beloved daughter #SonakshiSinha makes me prouder today, by coming out in the open with her timely response.”
Sonakshi Sinha Says She ‘Can’t Remain Silent’
In the video that sparked widespread discussion online, Sonakshi Sinha explained why she chose to speak publicly despite normally staying away from political and social commentary.“I have never made a statement like this, but today we cannot ignore him. Sonam Wangchuk. We all know him. We know what he has done for our country,” he said.Speaking about Wangchuk’s prolonged fast, he added: “He’s hungry. He hasn’t eaten anything. Who is he doing this for? He’s doing this for the children’s future… He’s fighting a system that isn’t working properly.”Questioning the authorities’ lack of response, Sonakshi said, “Why is nobody listening? Nobody cares. Nobody is open to dialogue.”He concluded his video by saying, “The main anti-national koi nahi hu,” although he acknowledged that his comments could attract criticism.
Sonam Wangchuk team thanks Sonakshi Sinha Omi Vaidya
After Sonakshi Sinha and actor Omi Vaidya’s support, Sonam Wangchuk’s team responded on behalf of the activist, expressing gratitude for her solidarity.Commenting on the two actors’ posts on social media, the team wrote, “Thank you for your solidarity. We really appreciate your support. With gratitude, Office of Sonam Wangchuk.”Omi Vaidya also shared a video urging people to learn more about Wangchuk’s work and expressed concern for the activist’s health. The actor recalled Wangchuk’s inspiration behind the iconic character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots.Sonakshi Sinha and Omi Vaidya have joined a growing list of celebrities supporting Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. Filmmaker Kiran Rao and actors Zeenat Aman, Prakash Raj, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah and Abhay Deol have also expressed their support for the activist as they call for action on the alleged NEET-UG paper leak issue.