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Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent climate activist, was detained along with 150 supporters on September 30th while leading a foot march from Leh to Delhi, demanding constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. The march, titled 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', was intended to culminate at Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2nd. Wangchuk's detention sparked widespread protests and condemnation, highlighting the growing tensions between the government and those advocating for Ladakh's rights.
Wangchuk's march was a direct response to the BJP's unfulfilled promises to grant Ladakh constitutional protections. The BJP had pledged to grant Ladakh special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution during the 2019 Lok Sabha election and later during the 2020 Hill Development Council elections. However, following the region's reorganisation as a Union Territory, the promised safeguards have not been implemented. Wangchuk's 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra' was intended to bring attention to this broken promise and demand action from the government.
The detentions occurred at the Haryana-Delhi border under a prohibitory order issued by the Delhi Police Commissioner citing security concerns related to the Haryana Assembly elections. However, critics have argued that the real motive behind the detentions is to silence dissent and suppress peaceful protest. The timing of the detentions, coinciding with the 15th reprieve granted to convicted godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim, further fuels suspicions of selective and politically motivated actions.
Ladakh erupted in protest following Wangchuk's detention, observing a complete shutdown on October 1st. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two representative organisations from Ladakh, expressed shock and vowed to intensify their struggle for constitutional and environmental rights. The KDA issued a statement condemning the detentions as a blatant violation of fundamental rights and an affront to the dignity of Ladakh's people.
Wangchuk and his supporters, who are currently lodged in different police stations in Delhi, have launched an indefinite fast in protest. The detentions have drawn widespread condemnation from various political parties. Omar Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, criticized the government's inaction on the Chinese incursion while detaining its own citizens. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed their disapproval, calling the detentions 'unacceptable' and 'undemocratic'.
The incident has brought the issue of Ladakh's constitutional rights to the forefront of national attention. The region's unique cultural and geographical identity, coupled with its vulnerability to environmental exploitation, has made the demand for constitutional safeguards a critical issue. The government's heavy-handed response to Wangchuk's peaceful protest raises concerns about the erosion of democratic principles and the suppression of dissent in India.
Source: Sonam Wangchuk’s detention: A Heavy-Handed Response to Legitimate Political Expression?