Sonam Wangchuk’s Detention Sparks Political Backlash; Congress, AAP, Others Slam Government
Ladakh-Sonam Wangchuk Protest: The detention of researcher-climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and around 120 other people from Ladakh, marching towards the national capital, has sparked a sharp political backlash from the opposition parties who came hard upon the BJP government. Sonam Wangchuk and over 100 people from Ladakh were carrying out a foot march to the national capital demanding Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory. They were detained by the Delhi Police at the national capital’s border.
The padyatra was organized by the Leh Apex Body, which, alongside the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been leading a four-year-long agitation demanding statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, an expedited recruitment process with the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for the Leh and Kargil districts.
Reacting to their detention, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said, “The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable. Why are elderly citizens being detained at Delhi’s border for standing up for Ladakh’s future? Modi ji, like with the farmers, this ‘Chakravyuh’ will be broken, and so will your arrogance. You will have to listen to Ladakh’s voice.”
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi termed the detention as ‘dictatorship’. “Sonam Wangchuk and our 150 Ladakhi brothers and sisters were coming to Delhi peacefully. The police have stopped them. They have been imprisoned in Bawana police station since last night. Is it wrong for Ladakh to demand democratic rights? Is it wrong for Satyagrahis to go to Gandhi Samadhi on 2 October? Stopping Sonam Wangchuk ji is a dictatorship. I will go to Bawana police station to meet him today at 1 pm,” said Atishi.
