Ladakh protest highlights: Uneasy calm day after violence, 50 held; educational institutions closed for 2 days

Here is what MHA said on Sonam Wangchuck:
"Activist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on September 10, demanding the 6th Schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that the Government of India has been actively engaged with the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance on the same issues. A series of meetings was held with them through the formal channels of the High-Powered Committee, as well as the Sub-committee, and 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 1/3 women's 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 unhappy with the progress made under HPC and have been attempting to sabotage the dialogue process," the MHA further said.

The MHA stated that 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 protests and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Ladakh on Thursday as police and paramilitary troops strictly enforced a curfew in Leh town, a day after clashes between security personnel and protesters demanding statehood and constitutional protection left four people dead and more than 80 injured.

At least 50 people have been detained so far in connection with the violence that broke out on Wednesday during the shutdown called by Leh Apex Body (LAB) to demand an extension of the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh. The protesters, according to officials, indulged in arson and violence, with mobs burning the BJP office, a number of vehicles, and ransacking the Hill Council headquarters.

"The situation in the curfew-hit areas is under control. There are no incidents to report from anywhere," a police officer told PTI, confirming the detentions.

The escalation of violence had led climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to abandon his fortnight-long hunger strike, which he was undertaking in favour of the demands. Wangchuk has denounced the violence.

The opposition parties on Thursday blamed the BJP for the recent violence in Ladakh, alleging that the ruling party's “breach of promise” on statehood and restoration of power to the region triggered people's anger, as they asked the Centre to engage in “meaningful dialogues” with the protesters.

The Congress trained its guns on the ruling BJP, alleging that the crisis in Ladakh was the government's own creation, and calling the demand for inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for its dignity and for the protection of its identity “legitimate” and “just”.

Terming the loss of precious lives in Ladakh tragic, Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in a post on X, “It's a grim reminder of the government's failed promises. In 2019, from the floor of Parliament, the nation was assured that the humiliation being inflicted on the people of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir then would usher in peace. Six years later, the trouble has only deepened.”

"This crisis is the BJP government's own creation – one it now seeks to unfairly ignore," he said.

Khera said Ladakh's demand for inclusion under the Sixth Schedule for dignity and the protection of its identity is both legitimate and just.

It deserves not neglect, but compassion and statesmanship, the Congress leader said.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, too, blamed the BJP for the violent protests in Ladakh, alleging that the ruling party's "breach of promise" to Ladakhis triggered the protests.

Without identifying anyone, Ladakh LG Kavinder Gupta said some people do not want peace and development in the UT and are trying to disturb the situation.

“They have made references to the unrest in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal to instigate the local youth, and their actions should not be tolerated. Action will be taken against them,” he said, in an apparent reference to the reported speeches of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.

The home ministry's action was based on several alleged discrepancies detected in the organisation's accounts, including a fund transfer from Sweden, which the Ministry found was against “national interest.”

The development comes a day after four persons were killed in widespread clashes between protesters supporting the movement for Statehood to Ladakh and security personnel amid a shutdown in Leh. The government blamed Sonam Wangchuk for the mob violence.

The order said the Wangchuk-led organisation was granted the licence to accept foreign contributions for undertaking cultural and educational programmes.

Ladakh LG Kavinder Gupta stated that the situation in the UT was “under control” a day after violent protests.
"What happened in Ladakh's Leh, the situation is better now. As a precautionary measure, Section 163 was imposed. Around 90 people got injured today, only 19 are now in hospital, they will also be released. The people who tried to disturb peace, we are keeping an eye on them... All in all, the situation is under control." LG Gupta said.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has revoked the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of Sonam Wangchuk’s organisation, the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), citing alleged violations of the law, ANI reported citing sources.

Sonam Wanchuck explained the money he received from outside India, saying the probe against him is a part of a “witch hunt.”
"A day later (after Leh protests), the Home Ministry of India issued a press release naming Sonam Wangchuk in it and blaming him... I had received a notice about a CBI inquiry stating that your organisation received foreign funding even when it did not have FCRA. We did not get FCRA because we don't want funds from abroad. The United Nations team wanted to take our Passive Solar Heated Building to Afghanistan, and for this, they gave us a fee. We also got fees with tax from Swiss and Italian organisations for supplying knowledge to them about our artificial glaciers...We are getting I-T summons. In the series of witch hunting, yesterday's events were the last, and all blame was put on Sonam Wangchuk," Wangchuk told ANI.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the Centre should hold talks with the people of Ladakh to address their aspirations, and warned that if a void is left in the border state, someone else will try to fill it.

A day after Leh witnessed violence over statehood demands, Abdullah emphasised that Ladakh is a sensitive area.

"I want to tell the government that it (Ladakh) is a border state. China is lurking; they have occupied land. It is time to resolve it quickly. The government should hold talks and resolve it," Abdullah told reporters.

Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh on Thursday expressed concern over the violence in Leh town of Ladakh and urged the Centre to carefully consider the demands of the agitating youth to meet their aspirations, including constitutional safeguards.

The son of the last Dogra ruler also appealed to the people of Ladakh to remain calm and peacefully articulate their demands.

“I have been deeply disturbed by the recent unrest in Ladakh resulting in the death of four people and dozens injured. Ever since 1947 the people of Ladakh have been solidly pro-Indian and have always helped the security forces as and when required,” PTI quoted Singh as saying.

He said the youth in Ladakh have become very resentful that their employment opportunities are disappearing.

“For one thing, they no longer have a Public Service Commission, as a result of which they have to compete at the All India Level. Inclusion in something like the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution seems to be an eminently reasonable solution,” he said.

Karan Singh appealed to the authorities to carefully consider the youth's demands and consider what concrete measures, including constitutional safeguards, can be taken to meet their aspirations.

“This is very important to prevent the agitation from growing, which, in the long run, will have negative security implications. I also appeal to the people to remain calm and peacefully articulate their demands,” he said.

The bodies of four civilians, who died during violent protests in Leh on Wednesday, were handed over to their families, officials said on Thursday.

Several people were feared dead and many injured in Leh city in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) as an ongoing protest seeking the constitutional safeguards of Statehood and tribal status for the region bordering China turned violent.

Appealing to the people of Ladakh to maintain peace, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday came out in defence of the Congress and said it is the BJP’s habit to blame others for its own failures, and the violence in Leh was no different.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said Ladakh protests are a result of “BJP's wrong policies”.
"A fear has settled in the hearts of the people that if the Sixth Schedule is not granted to safeguard our land, jobs, and cultural identity, everything will be destroyed. The government should consider how a happy place like Ladakh is now burning. Leh is the result of the BJP's wrong policies implemented after 2019," Mufti told PTI.

Strict prohibitory orders were also imposed in Kargil, where the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) called a shutdown in support of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike that was later called off following the clashes, PTI reported.

The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) defended climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was blamed by the government for making "provocative statements" leading to mob violence, and expressed sympathies with the families of four slain protesters, describing them as “heroes of Ladakh”.

The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Thursday demanded an impartial probe into the violent clashes that broke out between protesters and security personnel in Leh town of Ladakh and asked the Union Territory administration to stop “witch hunting” and “harassment” of people, PTI reported.

Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh on Thursday expressed concern over the violence in Leh town of Ladakh and urged the Centre to carefully consider the demands of the agitating youth to meet their aspirations, including constitutional safeguards.

“I have been deeply disturbed by the recent unrest in Ladakh, resulting in the death of four people and dozens injured. Ever since the people of Ladakh have been solidly pro-Indian and have always helped the security forces as and when required,” Singh said in a statement

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday blamed the BJP for the violent protests in Ladakh, alleging that the ruling party's "breach of promise" on statehood and restoration of powers to the region had triggered anger among people.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday said that his imprisonment could create more problems for the government than his freedom and called the home ministry's act of blaming him for recent violent protests in Ladakh a "scapegoat tactic".

"I see they are building up a case to bring me under the Public Safety Act and throw me in jail for two years," he told PTI over the phone and added that "I am ready for that, but Sonam Wangchuk in jail may cause them more problems than free Sonam Wangchuk."

On Ladakh violence issue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday questioned if the country gained freedom from the British only to become slaves to the Bharatiya Janata Party instead of the invaders.

"What is happening in Ladakh today is extremely alarming. Every true patriot should stand with the people of Ladakh. Did we take freedom from the British just so that the public would become slaves to the BJP instead of the British? Revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad sacrificed their lives for democracy so that every Indian would have the right to choose their own government. But today, the BJP, intoxicated by the addiction of power, is turning one state after another into a Union Territory, snatching away the rights granted by the Constitution," Kejriwal wrote on X.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the Centre should hold talks with the people of Ladakh to address their aspirations, and warned that if a void is left in the border state, someone else will try to fill it.

"I want to tell the government that it (Ladakh) is a border state. China is lurking, they have occupied land. It is time to resolve it quickly. The government should hold talks and resolve it," Abdullah told PTI.

Ladakh protest live updates: Expressing deep concern over the situation in Ladakh, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday questioned whether India had truly gained freedom from the British, or merely replaced colonial rulers with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In a strongly worded post on X, Kejriwal accused the BJP of being “intoxicated by the addiction of power”, claiming the party was converting one state after another into a Union Territory and stripping away constitutionally granted rights.

“What is happening in Ladakh today is extremely alarming. Every true patriot should stand with the people of Ladakh. Did we take freedom from the British just so that the public would become slaves to the BJP instead of the British? Revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad sacrificed their lives for democracy so that every Indian would have the right to choose their own government. But today, the BJP, intoxicated by the addiction of power, is turning one state after another into a Union Territory, snatching away the rights granted by the Constitution,” the post read.

Ladakh protest live updates: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, on Thursday chaired a high-level security review meeting after statehood and Sixth Schedule protests turned violent and led to police clashes. He emphasised tighter vigilance, stronger coordination among agencies, and proactive measures to maintain peace and order in the Union Territory.

In a post on X, Office of the Lt Governor, Ladakh shared, "Lt Governor@KavinderGuptachaired a high-level security review meeting to assess the emerging situation across Ladakh, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, & proactive measures to safeguard peace, security, & public order across UT."

Ladakh protest live updates: A day after violent clashes in Ladakh, the Congress on Thursday accused the BJP government of creating the crisis. The party said Ladakh’s demand for statehood, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, and protection of its identity and dignity is both “legitimate and just.”

The statehood agitation turned violent in Leh on Wednesday, resulting in arson, street clashes, and the deaths of four people. At least 80 others were injured, including 40 police personnel, officials confirmed.

Congress media and publicity department chief Pawan Khera called the loss of lives in Ladakh “tragic.”

“It's a grim reminder of the government's failed promises. In 2019, from the floor of Parliament, the nation was assured that the humiliation being inflicted on the people of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir then would usher in peace. Six years later, the trouble has only deepened,” Khera said on X.

“Far from restoring normalcy in the valley, the Centre's shortsightedness has pushed Jammu and Ladakh also into an incinerator of violence. This crisis is the BJP government's own creation – one it now seeks to unfairly ignore,” he added.

Ladakh protest live updates: Speaking to the media in Jammu and Kashmir about the violence in Leh, JKNC Chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the unrest was driven by frustration over long-standing demands. He noted, “The reason behind the violence was that he (Sonam Wangchuk) was on a hunger strike for 14 days... For five years, he has been silently protesting over there that they should be listed in the Sixth Schedule and also be granted statehood. He even walked barefoot from Leh to Delhi to make himself seen.”

He added, “The youth might have thought that the promises made five years ago were all hollow. As a result, they couldn't contain their discontent and chose the path of violence. They burned the BJP office, police vehicles, and many other buildings. Police had to use guns and as per reports, four people have died and many are serious. 60-80 people are injured and undergoing treatment.”

On the security implications, Abdullah warned, “This kind of incident happening in a border state is dangerous for national security, especially when China is always trying to destabilise the country... This should be resolved at the earliest without waiting for another spark.”

He stressed that the violence was not orchestrated, saying, “I don’t think there is anyone behind this incident... This is the voice of the locals. The government should learn a lesson from this. They had promised J&K as well, that statehood will be given after delimitation and elections... They should learn from Ladakh.”