While parties across the political spectrum welcomed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's decision to end his 26-day hunger strike over exam irregularities, several opposition leaders said that a movement that involves the participation of scores of people across the country, is "bigger than an individual or outfit".
Wangchuk broke his fast late on Thursday night, in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, following assurances from the Centre on key demands of the students' agitation.
Speaking to IANS, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha said: "When a movement reaches this stage, it is not restricted to any one person or outfit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to deal with the emotions of lakhs of people."
Communist Party of India MP P. Santhosh Kumar said: "Whether Sonam Wangchuk continues his hunger strike or not is not the main issue. The students have only one demand: Dharmendra Pradhan should resign or PM Modi should sack him. It is the demand of the entire nation, whether inside or outside the Parliament."
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said that the party has never been in favour of hunger strikes.
Addressing the media outside the Parliament House, Ram Gopal Yadav said: "Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia always opposed it. When people insisted, he said that you can hold that kind of a hunger strike where one person sits for 24 hours, then another person sits for another 24 hours. When one of our party workers said he would sit on an indefinite hunger strike, Dr. Lohia responded, 'If the demand is not met, then die but do not get up. I can allow you on this condition'."
However, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji mentioned that more than 50 MPs had signed an appeal urging Wangchuk to end his fast.
"The country needs activists like him (Sonam Wangchuk) who selflessly stand with the students and people in general. The organs of such a person were getting affected," she told IANS.
Moreover, she claimed that the Opposition MPs were not allowed to enter the hospital to meet Wangchuk.
"So, we (Opposition MPs) had handed over the letter to his (Sonam Wangchuk's) wife. We are happy that he has broken his fast," Maji said.
Leaders of the ruling NDA also backed Wangchuk's decision.
Punjab BJP Vice-President Subhash Sharma said: "We welcome his (Wangchuk's) decision to end the hunger strike and his expression of faith in the Union government. The government is fully committed to resolving the issue, and I believe a solution will be found soon. The students who have been protesting will also be satisfied. The real issue is how to eradicate the menace of paper leaks from the root, and work is being done in that direction."
Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad referred to Wangchuk as an "educated and wise person".
"He met J.P. Nadda, and given that people’s demands are heard in a democratic system, especially when they are genuine, his demands were also heard," Nishad told IANS.
