Sonam Wangchuk arrested under NSA, shifted to Jodhpur jail
Kargil, Sep 26: Noted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) in Leh and shifted to Jodhpur in Rajasthan on Friday, two days after the violent protests left four people dead and over 90 injured.
The arrest of Wangchuk, an education reformer and winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018, whose life partly inspired the Bollywood hit movie ‘3 Idiots’, came two days after protests for the movement for Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule extension turned violent.
The stringent NSA allows for long preventive detention without bail.
Wangchuk was expected to address a news conference on Friday afternoon at a hotel, but was arrested by a team of Police led by a top officer before he could address the media.
The arrest came a day after the Union Home Ministry cancelled the FCRA licence of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organisation founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies and a fund transfer deemed to be against “national interest”.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) blamed Wangchuk for the violence on Wednesday, alleging that he made “provocative statements” that ‘instigated’ the mob.
However, Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike to demand statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh since September 10, ended his fast on September 24 as massive violence broke out in the town and distanced himself from the violence, saying it damaged a peaceful struggle of five years and requested the youth to remain peaceful.
Wangchuk, a leading voice for the Apex Leh Body (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading the five-year-long agitation for statehood and “constitutional safeguards” for the residents of Leh and Kargil, which form part of the Ladakh Union Territory that was carved out from the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state in 2019.
His arrest comes as a strange turn of events considering that Wangchuk, on August 5, 2019, tweeted, “THANK YOU PRIME MINISTER Ladakh Thanks @narendramodi @PMOIndia for fulfilling Ladakh’s longstanding dream. It was exactly 30 years ago, in August 1989 that that Ladakhi leaders launched a movement for UT Status. Thank you to all who helped in this democratic decentralisation.”
INTERNET SERVICES SUSPENDED IN LEH
Soon after the arrest of Wangchuk, the authorities snapped internet services across the district to prevent the spread of misinformation.
The curfew-like restrictions remained enforced in Leh for the second day on Friday to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.
Heavy deployment of Police and paramilitary personnel has been placed across the district to prevent flare-ups and to ensure strict enforcement of the orders.
After Wangchuk’s detention, on Friday, the Kargil district administration also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163, banning large gatherings and public rallies.
As per the officials, the prohibitory orders would continue until further orders, and nobody would be allowed to disturb peace.
ABL, KDA DENY WANGCHUK’S ROLE IN LEH VIOLENCE
Meanwhile, the ABL and KDA, which are leading the agitation for statehood for Ladakh, on Friday said that their protest had been peaceful and that the violence on September 24 was triggered when a section of the youth got out of control.
Addressing a news conference, the ABL Chairman, Chering Dorjey, denied Wangchuk’s role in the Leh violence during his ongoing hunger strike.
“Our movement will be peaceful and non-violent. To disseminate this, we started prayers of all the religions. When Wangchuk started the hunger strike, a few people were there. We used to call people from villages. We called for a Leh Bandh on September 24,” he said.
Dorjey alleged that the escalation occurred after the Police resorted to firing without warning, instead of using water cannons or other means of crowd control.
He highlighted that while the ABL and youth leaders had instructed demonstrators to remain peaceful, the unexpected turnout of nearly 7000 people, mostly youth facing unemployment, made it difficult to control the situation.
Dorjey said two protesters had fallen seriously ill earlier, which had further fuelled emotions.
Rejecting claims that protesters carried weapons or acted against national symbols, he said demonstrators only removed BJP flags while respectfully holding the Indian flag, Ambedkar’s portrait, and the HE Bakula Rinpoche.
The ABL Chairman also refuted the LG Ladakh’s remarks suggesting involvement of outsiders, including Nepalis, calling it “absolutely false.”
He said nearly 95 percent of injuries were due to pellet guns and rubber bullets, with several victims still carrying bullets lodged in their bodies.
Dorjey alleged that many bystanders were harassed and tortured, adding that attempts were being made to give the movement an “anti-national colour.”
“It is deeply unfortunate that in a place like Ladakh, peaceful protests are being met with indiscriminate gunfire,” he said.
KDA member Sajad Hussain Kargili also expressed concern over the situation in Ladakh and condemned Wangchuk’s arrest.
“I strongly condemn this brutal crackdown on Ladakhi leadership. Our struggle for statehood and the Sixth Schedule will continue. No detention or witch-hunt can deter us,” he said.
Member of Parliament Ladakh Muhammad Haneefa also condemned Wangchuk’s arrest and urged the administration to probe the Leh incident and expedite the process of talks with the MHA.
