Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested by the Ladakh Police on Friday, following protests demanding statehood and 6th Schedule status for Ladakh. The protests resulted in four deaths and 90 injuries, prompting a crackdown by the administration.
After being taken into custody, he was moved out of Ladakh and has reportedly been booked under the National Security Act.
Opposition parties have condemned the arrest, calling it a witch-hunt and a sign of the government’s failure to handle the Ladakh situation democratically. Citizens have been left stunned by the brazen move of the state.
Wangchuk is a key leader of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, both advocating Ladakh’s statehood and constitutional protections.
The central government accused Wangchuk of inciting violence, but he denied all charges, stating that the unrest reflects youths’ frustration, not his leadership.
A day before the arrest, the Home Ministry cancelled the FCRA licence of SECMOL, an educational NGO founded by Wangchuk.
The Centre appears visibly nervous, but such mishandling will only worsen the situation, as the demand for statehood is not Wangchuk’s alone but shared by a large majority of Ladakhis. Suppressing dissent through force will not resolve the deep-rooted demands emerging from the community itself. Sonam must be released immediately and all the charges against him have to be dropped.