Activist Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested by Leh police on Friday, September 26, amid the unrest in Ladakh that killed four. Wangchuk has been charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting protesters demanding statehood for the Union Territory that erupted on Wednesday. According to reports, he has been taken to Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The activist is also facing allegations of serious financial irregularities. Several reports on irregularities in his foreign funding have surfaced, as the government believes that significant discrepancies have been found within his NGO and private institutions. It is alleged that Wangchuk, under the guise of a mass movement, not only violated the law but also misused foreign funds for personal gain.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had revoked the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of activist Sonam Wangchuk’s NGO, the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), citing alleged violations of the law. Earlier, the MHA pinned the blame for Wednesday’s violent protests in Leh over the implementation of the 6th schedule on Wangchuk.
The statement by MHA read: “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.”.
Meanwhile, the Apex Body Leh, which is leading the agitation for statehood for Ladakh, stated on Friday that their protest is peaceful and that the violence on September 24 was triggered when a section of the youth got out of control. Addressing a press conference here, the Apex Body denied Wangchuk’s role in the violence in Leh during his ongoing hunger strike.
In the statement, a member of the Apex Body Leh said, “Our movement will be peaceful and nonviolent to disseminate this, we started prayers of all the religions. When Sonam Wangchuk started the Hunger Strike, a few people were there. We used to call people from villages. We called for a Leh Bandh on September 24.”
“Before that, on September 23, two people who were in the protest were admitted to the hospital. Getting to know this a huge mob of youth came to the hospital. On the day of the bandh, more people than we expected poured in at the site of the strike. A large part of the people were youth that day,” he added.
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