KDA, Apex Body call for Ladakh Bandh following activist Sonam Wangchuk's detention

Leh (Ladakh), October 1: The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Apex Body, Leh have called for a bandh across Ladakh following the detention of renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday night.

Shops in Ladakh were observed closed as residents demanded Wangchuk's release and advocate for the sixth schedule to safeguard the region's rights.

Hajan Fathima Bano, an 87-year-old Apex activist, voiced her concerns over the detention of activist Wangchuk along with the other people of Ladakh demanding for their rights.

"We've heard they have been apprehended. They didn't go to engage in conflict; they went to advocate for the sixth schedule on behalf of the people of Ladakh. We are willing to give our lives for them. They shouldn't be held captive," she stated.

The bandh aims to raise awareness about the ongoing struggle for Ladakhi autonomy and the preservation of its unique cultural identity. Activists are urging the government to listen to their demands and prioritize the rights of the people of Ladakh.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border on Monday night. Section 163 of the BNS has been imposed at Delhi borders, said Delhi Police.

Wangchuk also took to X to inform about his detention.

"I AM BEING DETAINED... along with 150 padyatris at Delhi Border, by a police force of hundreds, some say 1,000. Many elderly men & women in their 80s and a few dozen Army veterans... Our fate is unknown. We were on a most peaceful march to Bapu's Samadhi... in the largest democracy in the world, the mother of democracy... Hai Ram!" the climate activist posted on X.

Wangchuk and other volunteers were embarking on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh's leadership regarding their demands.

One of their key demands is for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity.

The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution outlines the governance of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram in northeast India. It creates autonomous councils with legislative, judicial, executive, and financial powers, allowing these regions to self-govern independently.