India: Modi silent as Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike continues

Below is a roundup of the latest news from India on Friday, July 17:

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Three children among four killed as train hits school van

Four people, including three school students, were killed after a passenger train struck a school van at a railway crossing in the eastern West Bengal state on Friday, according to multiple media reports.

A cyclist was also killed in the accident, police said, while four others, including the driver of the van, were critically injured.

According to reports, the van driver and a cyclist were attempting to cross the tracks when a local train hit the vehicle.

The injured were taken to a local hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examinations.

Modi's 'unwillingness' to hold press conferences criticized by journalist body

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was called out by a journalist association for his "unwillingness to address unscripted press conferences" on Thursday.

During Modi's recent trip to New Zealand, Indian foreign ministry official Rudrendra Tandon told a New Zealand journalist that the prime minister preferred to communicate directly with the electorate when asked why he had not held a press conference during the visit.

In a statement posted on X, the Editors Guild of India called this argument "deeply flawed."

The journalist association said that the prime minister, who has been in power since 2014, "has been reluctant to share his views" with the media on major issues including the Middle East energy crisis.

"Scripted, one-way communications, largely through social media channels, are not a substitute for public interaction with independent media," the statement said.

In his 12 years in office, Modi has only held one press conference, according to reports. Even at that briefing in 2019, Modi only spoke briefly before deflecting all questions to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He has not held any open, unscripted press conferences.

In May, during a trip to Oslo, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng sparked controversy after she called out to him after a press appearance, asking why he does not take questions. Lyng got no response.

Modi has also not taken any questions on the Cockroach Janta Party protest calling for the resignation of one his ministers, or the hunger strike of activist Sonam Wangchuk which has entered its 20th day.

India is ranked 157th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

Sonam Wangchuk continues hunger strike into 20th day

Education reform and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk remained steadfast in his resolve to continue his hunger strike, which entered its 20th day on Friday, despite concerns over his deteriorating health.

Wangchuk, along with supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), are camped at the capital's historic grounds of Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, over alleged exam irregularities.

According to the PTI news agency, citing the doctor overseeing Wangchuk, the activist has lost more than nine kilograms (nearly 20 pounds) since beginning his fast on June 28.

Wangchuk has refused to end his fast, saying doing so would send a message to the government that they don't have to be accountable to the people.

Meanwhile, solidarity came from across the political divide as both former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Congress party expressed their support for Wangchuk.

Kejriwal on Thursday joined demonstrators and called for Pradhan's resignation.

in a post on X, the opposition Congress party leader KC Venugopal appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast, while saying the party "share the anguish and outrage" over the "lack of accountability" within the Modi government and "for the collapse of the examination system in particular."

India's 'Cockroach' movement — and why it matters

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Hello! This is Shakeel from DW's New Delhi Studio, bringing you the latest news from across India.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk is on the 20th day of a hunger strike in New Delhi, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demands the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged exam irregularities.

Meanwhile, while the government assured the Delhi High Court that the activist's health would be monitored, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained silent on the issue. On Thursday, the Editors Guild of India criticized what it called Modi's "unwillingness to address unscripted press conferences," saying he had been reluctant to share his views on with the media.

Follow our blog today for live updates from the CJP protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.