Ladakh’s mainly Buddhist Leh Apex Body, the spearhead of the statehood and special status campaign, on Monday announced its withdrawal from the talks with the Centre and set terms for future dialogue.

These preconditions include the institution of a judicial inquiry into the killing of civilians during Wednesday’s statehood protests in Leh town, and an apology for labelling the agitation leaders as anti-national.

Apex Body leaders Chering Dorjey and Thupstan Chawang made the announcement at a news conference while calling for the release of all the jailed protesters, including celebrated climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk.

They condemned what they described as the use of excessive force by the security forces during Wednesday’s clashes that led to the death of four protesters and injuries to dozens more.

They accused the CRPF of resorting to “goondagardi (hooliganism)” to quell the protest, and said fear prevailed in Ladakh, which had never before seen such repression.

The Apex Body leaders said they had been scheduled to leave for talks with the government on Monday but decided to withdraw following the recent developments.

Formal talks had been scheduled for October 6, but a preliminary engagement was to take place this week.

“Our lieutenant governor, during a press briefing, levelled serious allegations that we were playing into the hands of foreign powers,” Dorjey said.

“He referred to people from Doda and Nepal, who are working here and some of whom are injured. Later, DG (police chief) Sahab told the press that there is Pakistan in it…. This has deeply angered us.”

A media statement from the Centre said the government had always been open to dialogue on Ladakh matters with the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance at any time.

The statement said: “We would continue to welcome the discussion with ABL and KDA through the High Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh or any such platform.”

Gitanjali Angmo, wife of Wangchuk who has been arrested over Wednesday’s Leh violence, has posed several uncomfortable questions to the government.

She has cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and the cricketing ties between India and Pakistan to rebuff allegations about Wangchuk’s alleged “links” with the two countries.

On Monday, Gitanjali posted a picture of Modi with Yunus alongside Wangchuk’s photo with the Bangladesh leader, which the Right wing has used to accuse the activist of Dhaka “links”.

“If it’s okay for the Hon. PM to meet Md Yunus, why is it a problem when @Wangchuk66, India’s educator and innovator meet(s) him?” Gitanjali, co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL) with her husband, asked in a post on X.

“If India can play cricket with Pakistan, why can’t one of its heroes, @Wangchuk66, attend a UN conference there?” she added, countering allegations that her husband’s Pakistan visit was evidence of his links with Islamabad.

Ladakh police chief S.D. Singh Jamwal has said Wangchuk’s alleged Pakistan links are under investigation and mentioned the activist’s participation in a conference organised by Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper in Islamabad early this year. The event was an international climate change conference.

Gitanjali had on Sunday uploaded a video of Wangchuk’s interview with Dawn News, where he praised Modi’s climate change initiatives.

“When many world leaders are denying climate change, I am happy that Prime Minister Modi has not only taken many initiatives for climate change but also launched a special mission called Mission Life… for the environment to urge the people to live simpler lives,” Wangchuk is heard saying in the video.

Gitanjali posted: “The Pakistan narrative about Sonam Wangchuk is false and defamatory. We were invited for a UN climate conference where he praised Mr Modi for initiatives like Simply Life.”

Curfew-like restrictions have remained in force in Leh town for the sixth consecutive day, ensuring a tenuous calm. Wangchuk, arrested under the National Security Act that allows detention without bail for up to a year, has been lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.

Release call

The Kargil Democratic Alliance on Monday demanded that the government release Wangchuk immediately and drop the charges against him, our Delhi bureau adds.

The KDA’s demand came at a joint news conference in New Delhi with the Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, Himdhara Collective and Climate Front Jammu.

“... Such treatment of the people of Ladakh, a sensitive region, will increase the sense of alienation and insecurity among the people,” KDA member Sajjad Kargili said.

The KDA is one of several organisations taking part in the agitation. The organisations participating in the news conference demanded an impartial probe into Wednesday’s events in Leh.