Veteran actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha has publicly praised daughter Sonakshi Sinha for speaking in support of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak issue.A day after Sonakshi Sinha’s emotional video urging the government to initiate dialogue with Wangchuk went viral, Shatrughan took to X (formerly Twitter) to express concern over the activist’s deteriorating health while applauding his daughter for raising her voice.
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 peacefully protesting in support of students affected by the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak.Highlighting Wangchuk’s failing health after nearly three weeks of fasting, Shatrughan appealed to the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the concerned authorities to intervene immediately.“He has been on a fast unto death for a right cause since almost 3 weeks, with failing health… the Govt, concerned authorities, our hon’ble PM @narendramodi & @PMOIndia must fulfill his demands & intervene immediately… Save Wangchuk!” he wrote.Praising his daughter, he added, “Pride of my family, my darling daughter #SonakshiSinha makes me more proud today, by coming out boldly, openly 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 usually staying away from political and social commentary.“I’ve never given a statement out like this, but today we can’t ignore him. Sonam Wangchuk. We all know him. We know what he has done for our country,” she said.Speaking about Wangchuk’s prolonged fast, she added, “He is hungry. He hasn’t eaten anything. For whom is he doing this? He is doing this for the future of children… He is fighting a system which is not working properly.”Questioning the lack of response from authorities, Sonakshi said, “Why is nobody listening? Nobody cares. Nobody is open for a dialogue.”She concluded her video by saying, “Main koi anti-national nahi hu,” while acknowledging that her remarks could attract criticism.
Sonam Wangchuk’s team thanks Sonakshi Sinha and Omi Vaidya
Following the support from Sonakshi Sinha and actor Omi Vaidya, Sonam Wangchuk’s team responded on behalf of the activist, expressing gratitude for their solidarity.Commenting on both actors’ social media posts, the team wrote, “Thank you for your solidarity. We truly 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 over 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 backing Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. Filmmaker Kiran Rao and actors Zeenat Aman, Prakash Raj, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah and Abhay Deol have also voiced support for the activist while calling for action over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak issue.
