Arrest Of Sonam Wangchuk Brings Uncertainty To Centre-Ladakh Talks On Statehood And Sixth Schedule

At least four people were killed and around 80 others injured in violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Leh on September 24, according to police and hospital officials. Authorities imposed a curfew across the town, while more than 48 people were detained in connection with the violence. Security forces said dozens of personnel were also hurt as protesters allegedly attacked police and ransacked government buildings, while local groups accused the forces of opening direct fire on demonstrators.

The unrest marked the deadliest outbreak of violence in Ladakh since it was carved out as a Union Territory in 2019, and came after weeks of mounting protests over statehood and constitutional safeguards. The scale of injuries, detentions, and the government’s immediate resort to curfew and large security deployment underscored the gravity of the situation in Leh.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike since September 10, was arrested two days later. According to NDTV, he was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) on allegations of inciting the protests through provocative speeches. His arrest has intensified tensions in Ladakh and cast a shadow over the scheduled talks between local leaders and the Central government.

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), two amalgams of activists and politicians from the Buddhist-dominated Leh and Muslim majority Kargil area, respectively, had earlier agreed to continue talks with the Central government. Following the fast of Sonam Wangchuk, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had scheduled a meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on October 6 with the LAB and KDA. A meeting was planned separately with the officials of the MHA on September 29, and the LAB and KDA had said that they would attend it.

However, after the arrest of Wangchuk, KDA member Sajad Kargili said that a fresh meeting of the LBA and KDA would be held to decide on whether to continue the talks with the Central government. “After the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk, we need to sit and see whether we can continue the talks,” he said.

Situation continued to remain tense in Leh town on the fourth day of violent protests, with shops and business establishments remaining shut, while pedestrian and vehicular movement was thin on the roads.

Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, when the Central government abrogated Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The LAB has sought that the region be included in the Sixth Schedule on the pattern of some northeastern states to enable the autonomous district councils to frame laws to deny jobs and land to non-locals. The other demands of the LAB and KDA include increasing the parliamentary seats to two from the existing one seat in Ladakh, and the constitution of a Public Service Commission (PSC) for recruitment in the gazetted services.

Earlier, on September 10, Sonam Wangchuk went on a hunger strike, and the number of people who joined his cause started to increase. The LAB, however, gave a shutdown call for September 24 over what it says is the Central government’s indifference to those who were on the hunger strike in Leh by not advancing the dates of the scheduled meeting of the HPC. According to LAB on Tuesday, the health condition of two elderly people deteriorated, due to which they were hospitalised, forcing them to give the shutdown call. The LAB has said that a peaceful march was taken out and the security forces had resorted to the use of indiscriminate firing that resulted in the death of several youth and injuries to several others.

“ The fire was opened directly on the crowd, and it was the use of indiscriminate force. We are seeking a judicial inquiry into the killings,” said Deputy Chairman of LAB, Chering Dorjay.

In a statement released after the protests, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the Central government has been actively engaged with LAB and KDA on issues of the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh, and “a series of meetings were held with them through the formal channel of High-Powered Committee as well as Sub-committee, besides multiple informal meetings with leaders.”

“The process of dialogue through this mechanism has yielded phenomenal results by increasing reservations for the Ladakh scheduled tribe from 45% to 84%, providing one-third of women reservations in the councils, and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. With this process, the recruitment of 1800 posts was also commenced. However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC and have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process. The demands on which Wangchuk was on a hunger strike are an integral part of the discussion in HPC. In spite of many leaders urging to call off the hunger strike, Wangchuk continued with the hunger strike and misled the people through provocative mentions of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal,” the statement said.

The MHA had said that while the next meeting of HPC has been scheduled on October 6, meetings are also planned on 25 and 26 September with the leaders from Ladakh. However, LAB members said that these meetings couldn’t be held due to the funeral of those who were killed in the agitation. The LAB also said that the police authorities have arrested over 40 people by filing false cases against them. The authorities have, however, said that the unruly mob attacked the police personnel, in which more than 30 police and CRPF personnel were injured, adding that a mob instigated by provocative speeches attacked a political party office as well as the government office of the Chief Executive Councilor of Leh.

“It is clear that the mob was incited by Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation. The Government stands committed to the aspiration of the people of Ladakh by providing adequate constitutional safeguards,” the MHA said.

Meanwhile, the mourning continued at the houses of those who were killed in the agitation, while parents of those who were arrested protested in Leh town.