New Delhi: Taking note of the “urgency”, Delhi High Court has agreed to hear Thursday a PIL raising concerns over the health of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar.The court acted on a petition, filed by a lawyer, which claimed that Wangchuk might not be able to survive for more than two days since he has lost 8.5kg and his condition was deteriorating rapidly.Due to the lawyers’ strike, a bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia Wednesday had to defer the hearing since none appeared for the authorities. “Having regard to urgency, list tomorrow,” the bench said as it directed that a copy of the order be served to the additional solicitor general and Delhi govt’s standing counsel.The PIL argued that a protesting citizen was “virtually taking his life in front of the whole nation” and sought a direction to the authorities to extend medical aid to Wangchuk and “discuss the issue” with him, apart from seeking a direction to force-feed him.Cockroach Janta Party has demanded Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in NEET. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite fast since June 28.Though govt “doesn’t seem to be concerned”, the PIL urged the court to take judicial notice and step in as it would not allow the state to let a citizen “voluntarily die of hunger”. If Wangchuk loses his life, it would be a matter of great shame for the country, it added. “That it is highly shocking and condemnable that Govt of India and Govt of NCT Delhi do not seem to be concerned at all with this alarming and most unfortunate situation, wherein due to highlighting an important public cause and great concern regarding education and of great concern to the student community in crores.”The plea further said holding a peaceful protest was a fundamental and democratic right of a citizen and govt’s failure to act would virtually amount to commission of offence of abetment of suicide. “It seems that govt… does not seem to be at all concerned with or affected by this most undesirable, unacceptable situation/position…, so much so that one concerned citizen has commented that the conscience of the nation seems to be dead, but the petitioner is sure that the conscience of the courts is not dead and, therefore, approaching this court for remedial action in the matter immediately,” stated the PIL.
