Rahul Gandhi, Kashmiri politicians condemn detention of Sonam Wangchuk, other activists in Delhi - Greater Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 1: On Monday evening, police detained Ladakh climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his comrades near Delhi border, barring their entry into the national capital.

Around 120 people from Ladakh including Wangchuk — who had marched to the national capital demanding Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory — have been detained by the Delhi Police at the national capital’s border, news agency PTI reported.

The government’s move to crush the dissent invited severe criticism from top politicians including, the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Communist Party of India (M) leader from Kashmir Yousuf Tarigami, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday termed the detention of these protesting people as “unacceptable”.

Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have to listen to Ladakh’s voice.

“The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable,” Gandhi said in a post on X.

The former Congress chief also asked why elderly citizens were being detained at Delhi’s border for standing up for Ladakh’s future.

“Modi ji, like with the farmers, this ‘Chakravyuh’ will be broken, and so will your arrogance. You will have to listen to Ladakh’s voice,” Gandhi said.

In a post on Instagram shortly before being detained, Wangchuk shared visuals from the Delhi border, where their buses were stopped amid huge police presence.

The climate activist can be seen in the video interacting with police officials.

In his post, Wangchuk said several vehicles of the Delhi Police and its Haryana counterpart were accompanying their buses. While they initially thought that they were being escorted as they approached the national capital, it was clear they were going to be detained.

“As we are approaching Delhi, it appears we are not being escorted, we are being detained,” Wangchuk said.

He said around 1,000 police personnel had been deployed at the Delhi border and they were informed that heavy deployment of security forces was made at the Ladakh Bhawan in Delhi, and in areas where students from the Union Territory resided.

“It appears they don’t want to allow this padyatra to take place,” he said.

The padyatra was organised by the Leh Apex Body which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, is spearheading an agitation over the past four years to demand statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, early recruitment process along with a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

The Delhi Police on Monday banned gatherings by five or more persons, carrying banners, placards, and arms, and protests in the central part and bordering areas for the next six days, citing law and order issues, including calls for protests by several organisations.

Reacting to this, former J&K chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti  said, “Even the very fundamental right to protest has been snatched from us for raising our voice against the onslaught on our identity & resources. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ladakh,” Mufti wrote on her official X-handle.

CPI (MP) leader and assembly contestant from south Kashmir’s Kulgam Tarigami said he condemns, “in no uncertain terms, the detention of prominent climate activist Sonam Wanhchuk and his supporters at Singhu border.

“Scuttling the peaceful Delhi Chalo Padyatra of Wangchuk reflects the government’s utter disregard for democratic freedom,” Tarigami wrote on his official X-handle.

While the prominent activist and author, Prashant Bhushan termed the detention as “gross violation of Article-19 rights.”

“Sonam Wagchuk, the inspiration of the movie 3 Idiots was on a peaceful climate march with a hundred others from Ladakh to Delhi. They have been detained at the Delhi border by police. They are not allowed to meet anyone,not even for a Vakalatnama! Gross violation of Art 19 rights,” Bhushan wrote.

From Ladakh, the Member of Parliament, Haji Hanifa said that it was unfortunate that Wangchuk and his team were detained.

“For the last three years, we have been raising our concerns in a very peaceful manner…several rounds of discussions were also held with the government…we hoped that the talks would continue after the formation of the new government but it did not happen…We set out on foot from Leh under the banner of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Apex Body with the hope that we would present our views to the central government in the national capital and our concerns would be heard. But unfortunately, Sonam Wangchuk and his team were detained yesterday…We urge the government to provide us a place from where we can submit a memorandum to PM Modi or hold talks with the leadership to resolve this issue,” Hanifa told news agency ANI.