Was denied permission to protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, says Sonam Wangchuk

Kargil, Oct 6: Noted environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk said on Sunday that his group has been denied permission to hold a protest at New Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk, along with around 100 activists, started the “Delhi Chalo Padyatra,” a foot march towards the national capital from Leh on September 1, in support of Ladakh’s four-point agenda, which includes the demand for statehood for Ladakh and seeking its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Wangchuk and his fellow Padyatris were first detained at the Delhi border on October 1 but were later released. However, on Sunday, the noted environmental activist took to his official handle on X to announce his frustration over the orders of the Delhi administration. Wangchuk said they received a rejection letter on Sunday morning, refusing them permission to hold their protest at their designated location, Jantar Mantar. Sharing a copy of the letter sent by Delhi Police rejecting his request for a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, Wangchuk posted on X, “Another rejection, another frustration. Finally, this morning, we got this rejection letter for the officially designated place for protests.”

“If Jantar Mantar is not allowed, please tell us which place is permitted. We want to abide by all laws and still express our grievances peacefully. Why is it so difficult to follow the path of Gandhi in his own country? There must be a way,” Wangchuk wrote. In the letter, Delhi Police stated that the request was received on “very short notice,” and no specific time frame was mentioned regarding the gathering. According to the guidelines, applications for holding any demonstration at Jantar Mantar must be submitted at least 10 days before the planned event and must be held strictly between 10 AM and 5 PM, police said.

However, after being denied permission to hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, the Padyatris, led by Sonam Wangchuk, began their fast at Ladakh Bhavan in Delhi. “PADYATRIS ON FAST AT LADAKH BHAVAN. After trying everything possible to find a legitimate place for our fast in New Delhi, we have finally decided to start our fast here at Ladakh Bhavan, where I was virtually detained for the last four days. Among us, we have 75-year-olds, women, and men who walked for 32 days from Leh to Delhi, roughly 1,000 km,” said Wangchuk in a post on X on Sunday evening.

The climate activist led the ‘Delhi Chalo Padayatra,’ which began from Leh a month ago. The march was organized by the Leh Apex Body, which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been spearheading an agitation for the last four years seeking statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts. On Saturday, the majority of the protesters returned to Ladakh, while the remaining participants stayed back to join Wangchuk for the fast.