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Sonam Wangchuk's appeal as Leh erupts in youth protests: ‘Damages our cause’
Sonam Wangchuk, who has long been demanding statehood for Ladakh, urged people to stop the violence, saying that it damages the cause.
Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday called for peace as hundreds of protestors took to the streets and clashed with the police over the statehood demand. He reasoned that the violent protests in Leh was driven by thousands of youths, a "Gen-Z revolution", who were unemployed for the last five years.
Wangchuk, who has long been demanding statehood for Ladakh, urged people to stop the violence, saying that it damages the cause.
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"My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause," Sonam Wangchuk said in a post on X.
Wangchuk, along with other residents, was on a hunger strike in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Following the violent protests, he ended the 15-day hunger strike. The Sixth Schedule allows a tribal status to the region.
“I feel very sad to inform you that there is violence and arson on a large scale in Leh. Many offices and police vehicles have been set on fire,” he said in a video message.
Wangchuk said that the violence started after two protestors on the hunger strike were hospitalised, which sparked an anger among the people.
“Thousand of youths came to the streets. But this was the anger of the youths, a GenZ revolution, which led them to the streets. They are unemployed for the last five years. They (government) is not giving security to Ladakh,” he added.
