AISA Student Leaders End 23-Day Hunger Strike at Jantar Mantar, Protest to Continue

Three student leaders of the All India Students' Association (AISA) ended their indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday after 23 days of protest demanding greater accountability in the education system. The student leaders—Neha, Manish, and Ameen—called off their fast following an appeal by a delegation of opposition Members of Parliament, social activists, and prominent public figures. While ending the hunger strike, the students announced that their movement would continue for another month to pursue their demands. According to AISA, the decision was taken after appeals from Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, Members of Parliament Rajaram Singh and Amra Ram, social activist Yogendra Yadav, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, Professor Atul Sood, and actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi. Opposition Leaders Promise to Raise Demands in Parliament Addressing the gathering, Yogendra Yadav said the end of the hunger strike should not be seen as the end of the movement but as the conclusion of one phase of the struggle. Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said the students had achieved something significant through their protest, adding that the government had been exposed on multiple fronts. Actor Shabana Azmi said that her generation had failed to do enough for Generation Z (Gen Z), but the students had shown a path forward through their determination and commitment. Concluding the event, MP Rajaram Singh assured the students that their demands would now be echoed in Parliament. He said their struggle had shown the entire opposition the way forward in raising these issues. AISA Claims Serious Health Impact on Students AISA claimed that during the 23-day hunger strike, all three students lost more than 12 percent of their body weight and experienced dangerously low blood sugar levels, along with serious effects on their vital organs. A large number of AISA supporters gathered at Jantar Mantar during the conclusion of the protest. Despite heavy security arrangements, students also raised slogans against the government. Month-Long Campaign Announced The student organisation announced that it would continue its campaign alongside the ongoing Parliament session. As part of the movement, AISA will conduct a month-long campaign against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 while continuing to press its demands raised during the Jantar Mantar protest.