• Source:JND
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Detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has said that he is prepared to stay in jail till an independent judicial inquiry is ordered to investigate the recent killings in Ladakh. The climate activist is currently in the Jodhpur Central Jail, where he is lodged under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting violence in the state.

Wangchuk’s message was relayed by his lawyer, Mustafa Haji, and his elder brother Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley, who met him on Friday, October 10. “I am doing well, both physically and mentally, and thank everyone for their concern and prayers,” Wangchuk said in the statement. The Ladakhi activist added, “My heartfelt condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives and my prayers with people who are injured and are arrested.”

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Wangchuk called for a fair and independent investigation into the deaths, declaring, “Unless such an inquiry is held, I am prepared to stay in jail.”

He also reaffirmed his support for the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in their long-standing demands for Sixth Schedule status and full statehood for Ladakh. “Whatever actions the Apex Body takes in the interest of Ladakh, I stand with them fully.” 

He requested the people of his state to continue their struggle while maintaining peace in the region, ‘in the true Gandhian way of non-violence.’ 

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Ladakh Protest

Wangchuk’s statement comes in the backdrop of political unrest in Leh, where massive protests took place after the Centre refused to extend the protections guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule to the Union Territory of Ladakh. The protests turned brutal after the protestors clashed with the police, which led to the death of 4 people.

He was detained last month at his home in Ladakh under the NSA, with authorities accusing him of instigating the protests. Allegations have also surfaced linking him to Pakistan, and his NGO’s FCRA licence has been cancelled. A CBI investigation into his activities is reportedly underway.

Following his transfer to Jodhpur, Wangchuk’s detention has sparked widespread criticism from civil society and Opposition leaders. Meanwhile, his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has claimed she has been denied permission to speak with or visit her husband since his arrest.