Ladakh’s Sonam Wangchuk Starts New Fast as Officials in Delhi Decline Meeting
Authorities Have Denied Permission for a Peaceful Protest in the National Capital
Newsreel Asia Insight #329
October 9, 2024
Photo of Sonam Wangchuk by TEDxBITSGoa 2019 on flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.
Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist from Ladakh, and his associates have initiated a new 21-day hunger strike after officials from the central government declined to meet with them. Wangchuk and about 150 others undertook a journey on foot from Leh to the national capital, aiming to draw attention to their demands, including statehood. Further, they have reportedly been denied permission to hold a peaceful protest in Delhi.
Wangchuk’s group includes elderly participants—some in their 80s—women, and war veterans from the Indian Army. They are in Delhi to advocate for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for the administration of tribal areas, the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for the Leh and Kargil districts.
Currently, the entire region of Ladakh is represented by a single Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, which may not fully reflect the diverse interests and issues of its two main districts, Leh and Kargil. Despite its strategic importance and tourism potential, Ladakh remains one of the least developed regions in India.
The activist, known for his environmental activism and innovative approaches to education and sustainable development, said they had to resume their hunger strike because the meeting did not take place, despite assurances from the Ministry of Home Affairs that they would meet one of the country’s top three leaders, as reported by Hindustan Times. He expressed disappointment that no date was provided by Oct. 4, compelling them to resume their hunger strike.
Wangchuk pointed that their demands are based on promises made by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “We are not asking for anything unusual; we are here to remind the BJP of the promise it made in its manifestos.”
Initially, the people of Ladakh had welcomed the government’s decision in 2019 to designate the region as a Union Territory, anticipating the establishment of a legislature and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule. However, according to Wangchuk, these expectations have not been met, leading to ongoing protests and demands for fulfilling those promises.
“We are following the path shown by Gandhi and we will continue our peaceful protest,” Wangchuk, who also went on a 21-day hunger in March, was quoted as saying.
According to a petition filed before the Delhi High Court, Wangchuk and his associates plan to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi or any other suitable location from Oct. 8 to Oct. 23, but Delhi Police has denied the permission.
Delhi’s Jantar Mantar area has traditionally been a designated place for protests and demonstrations.
The plea argues that the refusal infringes upon their fundamental rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India, as reported by LiveLaw.
The Delhi Police failed to provide any valid or reasonable grounds for rejecting the request for holding peaceful protest, says the plea. “The proposed demonstration is a peaceful expression of dissent aimed at highlighting significant social issues by the petitioner organisation. By denying permission, the respondent is effectively suppressing this fundamental right and limiting the petitioner’s ability to engage in public discourse, undermining the principle of open expression.”
The protesters believe that granting Ladakh statehood and including it in the Sixth Schedule would protect the region’s fragile ecosystem and indigenous communities. They are concerned about unchecked industrial and infrastructural development that could harm the environment and disrupt traditional ways of life.
