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.

Congress, AAP React

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."

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… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 30, 2024

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.

सोनम वांगचुक और हमारे 150 लद्दाखी भाई-बहन शांतिपूर्ण तरीक़े से दिल्ली आ रहे थे। उनको पुलिस ने रोक लिया है। कल रात से बवाना थाने में क़ैद हैं।

क्या लद्दाख के लोकतांत्रिक अधिकार माँगना ग़लत है? क्या 2 अक्तूबर को सत्याग्रहियों का गांधी समाधि जाना ग़लत है?

सोनम वांगचुक जी को रोकना… https://t.co/Nr9LVoiM7a — Atishi (@AtishiAAP) October 1, 2024

Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "Those who are afraid of peace are scared from within. The BJP government cannot achieve anything by obstructing the peaceful Delhi visit of environmentalist and Ladakh well-wisher Sonam Wangchuk ji. If the Centre does not listen to the voice of the border, it will be called its political deafness."

Sonam Wangchuk's Claim

In a social media post shortly before being detained, Wangchuk shared visuals from the Delhi border, where their buses were stopped by Delhi Police. "As we are approaching Delhi, it appears we are not being escorted, we are being detained," Wangchuk said.

I AM BEING DETAINED...
along with 150 padyatris
at Delhi Border, by a police force of 100s some say 1,000.
Many elderly men & women in their 80s and few dozen Army veterans...
Our fate is unknown.
We were on a most peaceful march to Bapu’s Samadhi... in the largest democracy… pic.twitter.com/iPZOJE5uuM — Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 30, 2024

He claimed that around 1,000 police personnel had been deployed at the Delhi border and they were informed that heavy deployment of security forces was made at the Ladakh Bhawan in Delhi, and in areas where students from the Union Territory resided.