India, July 25 -- Activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, on Thursday appealed to people not to rush to judge him for ending his 26-day hunger strike, saying that he had paid a heavy physical price for a cause larger than himself and deserved compassion rather than criticism.

The appeal came hours after the Union government expressed hope that Wangchuk's decision will pave the way for ending the ongoing protests over paper leaks.

In a post on X, Angmo said: "Before you rush to criticise @Wangchuk66, first pause to earn the ethos of fasting for 26 days for a cause larger than yourself."

She added: "He lies in the ICU today, having lost 11 kg, including muscle mass, because he chose sacrifice over comfort. The least we can off...