Sonam Wangchuk arrested : The ongoing movement in Ladakh demanding full statehood for the Union Territory and the expansion of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution took a new turn on Friday. Renowned environmental activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk was detained by police. This action came after a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) devolved into violence two days ago, leaving four people dead and over 90 injured.
The Union Home Ministry has held Wangchuk responsible for the violence. The ministry alleges that he attempted to incite the people of Ladakh by citing the Generation Z protests in Nepal.
Following this incident, the central government took strict action and immediately revoked the FCRA license of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an NGO founded by Wangchuk. Additionally, another NGO, the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), is also accused of violating FCRA rules. The Ministry states that this NGO deposited local donations into an FCRA account, which is prohibited under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010.
In 2019, the central government abolished Article 370, bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir and granting Ladakh separate Union Territory status. At the time, a large population in Ladakh welcomed this decision, but now the people there are demanding statehood and constitutional protection.
Reacting to this development, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest was extremely worrying. She wrote on social media, “A supporter of peace and truth is being punished simply for demanding his rights. There is a curfew in Leh and the internet is shut down. In today’s times, speaking the truth comes at a heavy price.”
It is noteworthy that last year, when Sonam Wangchuk went on a hunger strike demanding the Sixth Schedule, he had said that he was a big fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But now the government finds it unbearable to remind its supporters of its promises.
The situation in Leh remains tense. There is a heavy deployment of security forces and internet services have been suspended.
