To
Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu
The Hon’ble President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi110004
Subject: Urgent appeal for your immediate intervention to protect the lives of Shri Sonam Wangchuk and the fasting students, and to ensure accountability for examination irregularities
Respected Madam President,
We, the undersigned members of civil society in Karnataka, write to you with a profound sense of concern and urgency regarding the indefinite hunger strike being undertaken at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, by renowned educationist and public-spirited citizen Shri Sonam Wangchuk, along with several students and young persons.
The hunger strike, which has continued for more than sixteen days, seeks accountability for serious irregularities, alleged paper leaks, failures of examination administration and the immense suffering caused to lakhs of students and their families. The protesters have also demanded that responsibility be fixed at the highest level, including the resignation of the Union Education Minister, and that appropriate compensation and support be provided to the families of students whose lives have been lost in the aftermath of the examination crisis.
The demands raised by the protesters cannot be dismissed as partisan or personal demands. They concern the integrity of India’s public examination system, equality of opportunity, institutional accountability and the future of millions of students. Competitive examinations determine access to education, employment and social mobility. When their integrity is compromised, the consequences are especially severe for students belonging to poor, rural, marginalised and first-generation learner families, who invest years of labour and their families’ limited resources in preparing for such examinations.
We are gravely alarmed by reports that the health of Shri Sonam Wangchuk and other fasting protesters has deteriorated considerably. A prolonged hunger strike poses an immediate and foreseeable danger to their lives. Every additional day of official silence increases the possibility of irreversible medical consequences. The Government cannot remain a passive spectator when citizens exercising their democratic rights face a serious threat to life.
The right to life and dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution imposes a positive obligation upon the State to protect human life. The freedoms of speech, peaceful assembly and democratic protest guaranteed under Article 19 cannot be rendered meaningless through governmental indifference. Peaceful satyagraha has a distinguished place in India’s constitutional and political history. Responding to it through silence, coercion, forcible removal or criminalisation would be inconsistent with the values of a democratic republic.
The resignation sought by the protesters is fundamentally a demand for ministerial accountability. In a parliamentary democracy, responsibility cannot be confined only to subordinate officials or examination agencies when failures are repeated, systemic and affect the lives of millions. A fair and transparent process must determine administrative, institutional and political responsibility.
The examination crisis has consequences far beyond the cancellation or rescheduling of a particular test. It has caused anxiety, financial loss, loss of academic years, mental trauma and a deep erosion of confidence in public institutions. Reports of student suicides connected with examination pressure and administrative failures demand a compassionate and comprehensive response rather than denial or delay.
We are equally disturbed by the apparent absence of a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with the protesters. The failure to engage with citizens who are pursuing non-violent constitutional methods sends a deeply damaging message to the country’s youth. It may create the impression that democratic institutions respond only to political influence or disruptive action, and not to reasoned, peaceful and morally compelling protest.
Continued governmental indifference towards such legitimate public demands can weaken faith in democratic institutions. Attempts to suppress, discredit or forcibly disperse peaceful movements may further alienate students and young citizens. Such alienation is harmful not only to democracy but also to the unity, social stability and integrity of the nation.
Madam President, as the Head of the Republic and the custodian of its constitutional conscience, your intervention at this critical moment can help prevent a human tragedy and restore public confidence. We respectfully request you to exercise the moral and constitutional authority of your office and urgently call upon the Union Government to:
1. Initiate immediate, direct and good-faith dialogue with Shri Sonam Wangchuk, the fasting students and representatives of the protesting student organisations;
2. Take all necessary steps, with the consent and dignity of the protesters fully protected, to safeguard their lives and provide continuous, independent and appropriate medical care;
3. Give a formal, reasoned and time-bound response to every principal demand submitted by the protesters;
4. Institute an independent, credible and time-bound judicial or similarly impartial inquiry into the alleged examination paper leaks, irregularities, administrative failures and related acts of negligence;
5. Fix individual, institutional and ministerial responsibility on the basis of the inquiry and take appropriate action against all persons found responsible, irrespective of their office or position;
6. Consider the demand for the resignation of the Union Education Minister in accordance with the principles of ministerial responsibility and democratic accountability;
7. Provide fair compensation, counselling, legal assistance and other necessary support to the families of students who have died by suicide or otherwise suffered irreparable harm in connection with the examination crisis;
8. Establish an independent national mechanism for ensuring the security, transparency and accountability of public examinations, including strict safeguards against paper leaks, arbitrary examination decisions and delays in grievance redressal;
9. Create an accessible, time-bound grievance-redressal and compensation framework for students affected by cancelled, postponed, leaked or improperly administered examinations;
10. Ensure that no coercive, punitive or retaliatory action is taken against the peaceful protesters, students, volunteers, journalists or civil-society members supporting the movement;
11. Place before the public a comprehensive action-taken report so that students and their families may know what corrective and preventive measures have been adopted.
We further request Your Excellency to seek an urgent report from the Union Government regarding the condition of the fasting protesters, the steps taken to protect their lives, the status of dialogue with them and the Government’s response to the allegations of examination mismanagement.
We wish to make it clear that the civil society of Karnataka stands in solidarity with Shri Sonam Wangchuk, the fasting students and the students across the country who are demanding fairness, transparency and accountability. Their struggle is not merely about one examination or one Minister. It concerns the right of every young Indian to be treated fairly by public institutions and to pursue education and employment without being defeated by corruption, negligence or institutional arbitrariness.
Protecting the lives of the protesters and addressing their legitimate demands must not be treated as a question of governmental prestige. No democratic government should permit a difference of opinion to become a battle of egos when human lives are at stake.
We therefore appeal to Your Excellency to intervene without delay, before any preventable loss of life occurs. Timely dialogue, medical protection, institutional accountability and a transparent resolution would uphold the dignity of the Constitution and reaffirm the Republic’s faith in peaceful democratic action.
We await your urgent and compassionate intervention.
Yours faithfully,
Members of Karnataka Civil Society
1.Dr. .Niranjanaradhya.V.P., Development Educationist and Social Activist Bangalore
2.Basavaraj Sulibhavi Publisher and Activist writer Gadag
3.Dr Anupama Doctor and wtiter Honnavar
4.Nandakumar Kumbri Ubbu, Social activist writer
5.Dr Ravindra Belli Rtd professor. Vijayapur
6.Keshava sharma Writer Shivamogga
7.Vasundara bhupathi Doctor and Writer Bangalore
8.K P Suresh Writer Bangalore
9.Dr. Poornanda MP, Veterinarian and Social Activist Mysuru
10.Suresh B Film maker and Director Bangalore
11.Basavaraj Sadar Writer Bangalore
12.Gangadhar Hiregutti Editor Karwar
13.Satish Chapparike Writer Bangalore
14.UjaniGowd c Social Activist
15 Byreshwara BM Social Activist Davangere
16.B. Peer basha, writer – Social activist, Hosapete.
17.Krishnegowda T L Social Activist Talagavadi
18.Rajarama Tallur Writer Udupi
19.Kadashettihalli Satish Social Activist
20.Ravi S Suran Social Activist kulburgi
21.Rekhambha TL Writer Shivamogga
22.Shakira khanam Writer Bangalore
23.Dr. Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy Poet and Writer Bangalore
24.K Neela Social Activist and Writer Kalburgi
25.Renuk Nudagundi Writer Noida Dehli
26.Sanathkumar Belagali Writer Dharwad
27.Uday Itagi, Writer Bangalore
28.Dr pratibha halingali Writer Hubli
29.Anil Hosamani Journalist, Vijayapur
30.Kumbar Veerabhadrappa (Kumvee) Writer Kottur
31.Ha Ra Mahesh Social Activist and Writer Bangalore
32.H S Basavaprabhu Writer Kalburgi
33.V Purushothama pucl Mysuru
34.Apurva dsilva Social Activist Chamaraj nagar
35.M Nagaraj Shetty Writer and ex bank employee trade union leader Bangalore
36.Gundanna Chickmagalor Theatre Activist Bangalore
37.Col Pankaj Bhagwati Bangalore
38.Dr Isabell Xavier Social Activist Dharwad
39.Dr. Banjagere Jayaprakash Writer Bangalore
40.Channabasappa B Inalli Writer Dharwad
41.Chandrashekhar gorabal Social Activist Sindhanur
42.D M Nadaf Social Activist Apazalpur
43.Sangqmrsh G Chikkanaragund Rtd Principal Ramdurga
44.D M Ingalagi Social Activist Haveri
45.K Venkataraju Artist Chamaraj Nagar
46.Shyamal Guruprasad Artist Hubli
47.Mahantesh kotabal Social Activist Koppal
48.Devaraj Hunasikatti Writer Ranebennur
49.Shrishail jalihal Writer
50.Bhimanagouda paragon Advocate Athani
51.Nagaraj kiranagi Social Activist Dharwad
52.Vijendra patil Social Activist
53.zabiulla M Asad Artist and Writer
54.M Mahesh Harave Writer Mysuru
55.Ayyappa Hugar Writer and Social Activist Mysore
56.Sikandar Pasha Social Activist
57.Bhagya C H Writer Bangalore
58.Abdul Rehaman Bidarkundi Social Activist Muddebihal
59.Raghu Halakere Social Activist
60.C S Bhimaraya Writer Shahapur
61.Giridhar Karkal Writer and Artist
62.Mallikarjun Hiremath Writer Dharwad
63.Muskan Annigeri Social Activist
64.Rajendra potdar Rtd professor and Writer Dharwad
65.Vijayamma Writer and Social Activist Bangalore
66.Chandraprabha kathari Writer Bangalore
67.Ashok Shettar Retired Professor, Dharwad.
68.Gulabhi Bilimale Social Activist Mangalore
69.Chandraprabha Bagalkot WRITER Banahatti
70.Subhash Rajamane Writer Bangalore
71.Dr. Sanjeevkumar Yaliballi Writer
72.G P Basavaraju Writer Mysuru
73.Vishukumar former director of information & public relations dept of Karnataka
74.Manjula B V Writer Bangalore
75.Usha Ambros Social Activist Mysuru
76.Mallesh Hemmadagi hutti Social Activist
77.Dr Shankar uduchanchi Social Activist
78.Vanamala Kattegoudar Writer Hosapete
79.Basavaraj sheelavantar Social Activist Koppal
80.sheksha khadri Social Activist Sindhanur
81.Girijashashtri Writer Bangalore
82.K R Sandhyaraddi Writer Bangalore
83.Sharanappa Sajjan Writer
84.Sharanabasav Marad Advocate Bangalore
85.Ashok Kattimani Advocate Hubli
86.krishnamurthy Biligere Writer Tiptur
87. Dr.Pradeep L M, Researcher 88. Dr.Chandrakala G, Researcher
