Sonam Wangchuk Detained Under NSA Over 'Provocative Speeches', Says Ladakh Administration

The Ladakh administration on Friday backed the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA) claiming that his alleged provocative speeches led to the violence that left four persons dead and several others injured. The administration asserted that his speeches allegedly referred to the Nepal agitation and the Arab Spring which resulted in violence, PTI reported. 

The authorities stated that his detention was imperative to restore normalcy in the peace-loving Leh town and also important to prevent him from further acting in a manner "prejudicial to maintenance of public order".

"Today, on September 26, Wangchuk of Uley Tokpo village of Leh has been detained under NSA. Time and again it has been observed that Wangchuk has been indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the state and detrimental to maintenance of peace and public order and services essential to the community," the Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR), Ladakh said in a statement. 

"His series of provocative speeches, references to Nepal agitations, Arab Spring etc and misleading videos resulted in the violent protests of September 24 in Leh where institutions, buildings and vehicles were burnt down and, in the aftermath, police personnel were attacked leading to the unfortunate death of four individuals,” it added.

The statement also said that the whole “episode could have been avoided if he could have risen above his personal and political ambitions by calling off the hunger strike when the dialogue with the government was resumed on the same agenda.”

Based on specific inputs, Wangchuk was detained under the NSA and moved to Jodhpur prison in Rajasthan, it said.

The protests were being held to the demands for statehood and extension of Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the region.

With PTI inputs