‘No assurance from leaders in Delhi, had to resume hunger strike’ says Sonam Wangchuk | Latest updates
Sonam Wangchuk and other protesters are seeking commitments from the leaders Delhi, demanding Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk said on Monday that they had to resume their hunger strike because, despite assurances from the Home Ministry regarding a meeting with leaders in Delhi, no action has been taken.
He and other protesters, who travelled to the national capital on foot from Leh, are seeking commitments from the leaders in the capital, demanding Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. They are also calling for a public service commission for Ladakh and separate Lok Sabha seats for the Leh and Kargil districts.
“We had to resume our hunger strike yesterday unfortunately, because the assurances given to us at Rajghat that we will be meeting one of the top three leaders in the country, after having come walking on foot all the way from Leh with 150 people, many in their 80s, women, and war veterans from the Indian Army," Wangchuk was quoted by PTI as saying.
"We were expecting to come to the national capital and meet our leaders and remind them of the state of Ladakh and find a solution for which we have been waiting for the last five years. At Rajghat, we were assured by the Ministry of Home Affairs that we would have a date at least within two days, but unfortunately, by October 4 evening, we did not even get a date, and we had to resume our hunger strike,” Wangchuk added.
Here are the latest updates
- Wangchuk on Monday said that protesters are advocating for Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, asserting that they are reminding the ruling BJP of its electoral promise. The Sixth Schedule relates to the governance of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, designating them as “autonomous districts and autonomous regions.”
- The Delhi Police denied climate activist Sonam Wangchuk permission to conduct a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; however, he has resumed his protest at Ladakh Bhawan in Chanakyapuri.
- Wangchuk and his supporters initiated an indefinite fast at Ladakh Bhawan on Sunday, saying, "We are going to sit here till we get a reply on when we will be able to meet our leaders. We walked for 30-32 days, we deserve to get a meeting at least."
- According to Wangchuk, the residents of Ladakh initially welcomed the government's decision to designate it a union territory, expecting a legislature and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule. He said, “We are not asking for anything unusual, we are here to remind the BJP of the promise it made in its manifestos.”
- He affirmed the continuation of their Gandhian protest, saying, "We are following the path shown by Gandhi and we will continue our peaceful protest. We are sitting on a fast."
- Approximately 18 people, including Wangchuk, gathered near the gate of Ladakh Bhawan, singing the Hindi rendition of 'We Shall Overcome' and chanting slogans like "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," "Jai Ladakh," and "Save Ladakh, Save Himalaya."
March to Delhi
Wangchuk and his supporters marched from Leh to Delhi to advocate for their demands, but were detained at the Singhu border in the capital on September 30.
The 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra' is led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB). They were released by the Delhi Police on the night of October 2. On Sunday, Wangchuk emerged from the Ladakh Bhawan around 4 pm and declared his intention to go on a fast after which heavy security was stationed at the Ladakh Bhawan, restricting entry.
However, the additional forces were withdrawn on Monday, allowing Wangchuk and others to meet visitors at the gate. The Ramon Magsaysay awardee noted that the protesters spent the night outside.
Earlier in the day, an LAB member informed PTI that the authorities had not permitted the protesters to relocate to a different site to continue their demonstration, so the fast would proceed at the Ladakh Bhawan.