‘I am an actor, not a politician’: Vivek Oberoi reacts to Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike

5 min readKochiUpdated: Jul 17, 2026 10:11 AM IST

Actor Vivek Oberoi has reacted to Sonam Wangchuk and CJP's protest, albeit without directly addressing their demands. (Credit: Facebook/@vivekoberoi; Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

With education reformer and activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike entering its 20th day, the nation’s attention remains fixed on the ongoing protest organised by activist platform Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET-UG question paper leak earlier this year. After several celebrities, including actors Sonakshi Sinha, Imran Khan, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, Prakash Raj, and Naseeruddin Shah, recently extended their solidarity with him, many citizens have begun condemning stars who have been “conveniently” turning a blind eye to the protest.

Amid all the clamour, actor-businessman Vivek Oberoi has reacted to Sonam and CJP’s protest, albeit without directly addressing their demands. Calling himself “an actor, not a politician,” Vivek said he doesn’t closely follow political matters but believes every voice deserves space in a healthy democracy.

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‘I don’t pay much attention to political matters’

“Yaar main abhineta hu, neta nahi hu. Toh main political cheezon pe dhyaan nahi deta hun. Hum toh observe karte hai, seekhte hai. Life mein bohot kuch dekhne aur seekhne ko mil raha hai (Look, I am an actor, not a politician. So, I don’t pay much attention to political matters. I simply observe and learn; there is so much to see and learn in life),” he told the media.

He added, “Observe ye kiya hai ki ye bhi ek nayi cheez thi aur mujhe lagta hai ek healthy democracy mein har awaaz ko apni jagah milti hai. Ye logo ne agar apni awaaz vyakt ki hai toh ye healthy democracy ka sign hai (What I have observed is that this was a new experience, and I believe that in a healthy democracy, every voice finds its place. If these people have expressed their voice, then it is a sign of a healthy democracy).”

Vivek Oberoi Shuts Down Question On Sonam Wangchuk’s Protest.

I am an actor, not a politician. I don’t pay attention to political things, I just watch and observe them. pic.twitter.com/juIraNBlkn

— Filmy_Duniya (@AyyanPanda) July 16, 2026

Vivek’s veiled reaction to Sonam’s protest came days after several of his colleagues individually extended support to the activist. Actor Imran Khan wrote on Instagram, “Following the conversations around the NEET scandal these past few weeks has been quite a ride… as the philosopher Mugatu so eloquently said, ‘I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.'”

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‘This isn’t a political debate’

He added, “This isn’t a political debate… or at least, it shouldn’t be. If we expect students to take exams with integrity, then they are also owed the same degree of accountability from the bodies which oversee the process. Surely this notion is true regardless of which football team (sorry… political party) you cheer for.”

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Imran concluded, “From the millions of students whose honest efforts were invalidated with barely a shrug; to the millions more who stood up and continue to stand against injustice… I see you. You raise your voices for the best in us, and it is my honour to stand beside you.”

Fatima Sana Sheikh calls current situation ‘heartbreaking’

Calling the episode “heartbreaking,” actor Fatima Sana Sheikh noted, “It’s now been 19 days! We cannot keep waiting until it’s too late to start listening… Someone like Sonam Wangchuk, who has given so much to this country, shouldn’t have to risk his health just to be heard. Whatever your politics, a student’s future is worth protecting. It’s really very heartbreaking to watch someone like him deteriorate like this.”

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About Sonam Wangchuk’s protest

For the unversed, Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June 28 as part of the CJP’s protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG question paper leak. On Thursday, July 16, the Delhi High Court directed the Centre to ensure daily monitoring of Sonam’s health and to “intervene immediately” if required.

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Doctors have warned that Wangchuk’s condition has become critical, with prolonged fasting posing a risk to his organs, according to PTI. Regardless, the activist is continuing his protest, saying that calling off his hunger strike without any response from the government would send the wrong message.