Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk sparked controversy after comparing the situation in Chinese-occupied Tibet to that in Ladakh. As controversy snowballed, Wangchuk explained his stance, seeking an apology. "If that (comment) has hurt anyone, I deeply apologise from the core of my heart," he said in an X post.

"I see many of our Tibetan friends are disturbed by this comparison. First of all, I was only comparing a specific incident on a particular day and of course, not with decades of suffering that Tibetan people have gone through. Secondly, I have no intention whatsoever to cause any hurt to anyone, least my dear Tibetan friends. I only wanted to show the gravity of what Leh Ladakh went through on that particular day and if that has hurt anyone, I deeply apologise from the core of my heart," his X post read.

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Comparison Of Ladakh With Tibet Situation Misplaced, Inaccurate: CTA

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Tibet's government-in-exile, has termed Wangchuk's comparison of the situation in Ladakh with that inside Tibet "misplaced" and "inaccurate", saying his remarks do not reflect the realities faced by Tibetans under China's authoritarian rule.

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His statement doesn't reflect the real situation inside Tibet, Tenzin Lekshay, official spokesperson of the Tibetan government-in-exile, said in a statement. Tibet continues to remain under China's authoritarian rule, where Tibetans face systematic repression of their fundamental rights, religious freedom, and intensification of measures aimed at erasing its distinct cultural identity, he added.

What Wangchuk Said On Ladakh Situation

Addressing a function organised by the Ladakh Buddhist Association on the first anniversary of the September 24, 2025, violence in Leh that killed four people, Wangchuk criticised the Central government over its handling of Ladakh since 2019, claiming that the situation in the Union territory was worse than that in Tibet.

"Ladakh had China on one side and India on the other. Ladakh chose India because we believed we would be able to live with our heads held high in India where there is democracy. But today, such oppression is being inflicted on Ladakh, which, in my view, even China is not doing to Tibet," Wangchuk had said.
(With PTI inputs)