A climate activist from Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk, was arrested by Leh Police on Friday, days after a violent protest which claimed the lives of four people and injured several others. Several months of protest led by Wangchuk, along with the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, sought full statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution for Ladakh.
In protest of these demands, Wangchuk also went on hunger strike several times, even recently on September 10, ending it after 15 days on September 24. Wangchuk was scheduled to address a press briefing at around 2.30 pm today, before his press conference, when Leh police arrested him, according to Hindustan Times. As per Money Control, quoting reports, he was arrested over his provocative speech.
The arrest of Ladakh climate activist comes a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) cancelled the registration of his non-profit organisation named 'Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh' (SECMOL) to stop foreign funding under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or FCRA, 2010.
Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning activist has denied all the allegations made by the government and the Union Territory's administration, following the violence that killed four protestors in alleged police firing and over 50, including security personnel, were injured.
According to the Co-Chairman of the Apex Body and President of the LBA. Cheering Dorjay Lakrook, people outside the protest suddenly came to protest in huge numbers. "The next day, when we were about to end the protest, lots of people gathered at the site than we expected. Usually, we don’t see more than 500 people, but that day, around 7,500 people came," said Lakrook.
""When two people sitting on the protest became seriously ill and had to be rushed to the hospital. And when the news spread in the city that they had to be lifted and hospitalised, it sparked a lot of anger, and many people gathered at the hospital," he added.
"What stood out was the huge number of youth who came to the site. Normally, I would complain that the youth weren’t participating enough. But that day, I was amazed," he said further.