The release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from prison has energised Ladakh’s leadership, which plans to go ahead with the March 16 protests demanding special constitutional rights for the region despite the new lieutenant governor’s warning against agitation.
The Ladakhi leadership also sees Wangchuk’s release as a vindication that their movement for greater rights was not “anti-national”.
Wangchuk and the region’s fight for special rights was vilified by the country’s Right-wing ecosystem as “anti-national”, with Ladakh police initiating a probe into the jailed activist’s alleged Pakistan links following the arrest of a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative who reportedly sent videos of Wangchuk's protests across the border.
Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, who took oath as the new Ladakh LG on Friday, welcomed the revocation of Wangchuk’s detention, calling it a “positive step by the Centre towards fostering an environment of peace, stability and mutual trust in Ladakh”.
Saxena, however, vowed to continue his predecessor’s policy.
“Shri Saxena maintained that there is no space for agitation and violence in #Ladakh and all issues pertaining to the aspirations and concerns of the people, would be addressed through dialogue with various stakeholders, community leaders and citizens in #Ladakh,” the LG’s office posted on X.
Chering Dorjay Lakrook, co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, vowed to continue the “peaceful protests”.
“The protests will continue. His (Wangchuk’s) release will lift the spirits and boost our movement,” Lakrook told The Telegraph, referring to the March 16 protests.
Lakrook said Wangchuk’s release had proved that they were not anti-nationals. “This is a great moment for Ladakh. Now we are vindicated that we are not anti-nationals,” he said.
Wangchuk’s release comes at a time when Ladakh is preparing for fresh protests against the Centre’s alleged tactics to delay talks on special constitutional rights, including the grant of statehood and the region’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule.
On March 10, the Ladakh administration had denied permission to Ladakhi leaders to hold a “peaceful rally on March 12”, prompting them to reschedule the event to March 16, for which permission was reportedly granted. Subsequently, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) also decided to hold a rally in Kargil on the same day.
The two organisations are spearheading the agitation in Ladakh.
On Friday, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra urged Ladakhi leaders to reconsider their decision to organise the rally, while acknowledging their democratic right to do so. Kundra said the new LG was willing to engage with all stakeholders and facilitate talks with the Centre.
Lakrook refused to relent, fearing that the government would continue its alleged coercive tactics to force them into submission.
During its last meeting with the Union home ministry’s high-powered committee on February 4, the Ladakhi leadership had sought the implementation of their four-point agenda, including granting statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh.
Later, the leaders said the talks remained inconclusive, with the home ministry reportedly proposing alternatives such as safeguards under Article 371 of the Constitution and strengthening of the autonomous hill councils.
Lakrook said the Centre was unwilling to meet their key demands.
“They want to strengthen the existing hill development council or change the nomenclature of chief executive councillor to chief minister. We are not agitating for that,” he said.
It is not clear what role Wangchuk would play in the upcoming protests. His wife Gitanjali J. Angmo recently told a newspaper that her husband would not pursue the path of agitation after his release but look for a solution through “dialogue and collaboration”.
