New Delhi, Sept 10: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Leh Apex Body sat on a 35-day fast in Leh on Wednesday over their demands for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Constitution’s sixth schedule and statehood.
At a press conference in Leh, preceded by an all-faith prayer service, Wangchuk, a climate activist, educator and Ramon Magsaysay awardee, said they took the decision to go on another fast as no meeting has been called by the Union home ministry with them over their demands in the last two months.
Wangchuk said they are being forced to intensify the movement demanding statehood and protection under the sixth schedule of the Constitution for Ladakh as the Centre has not addressed their demands.
“The talks with the Union government stopped around two months ago. Just as the talks were about to reach a point where discussions about the main demands would start, the government did not call another meeting,” he said.
Wangchuk said the hill council election in Leh is to be held soon and reminded the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre of its promise during the last hill council polls that sixth-schedule status will be given to Ladakh.
“The promise should be fulfilled before the upcoming polls,” he said.
Wangchuk also said the fast would be for 35 days and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) would be a “landmark” in their protest.
“The Leh Apex Body held an all-faith prayer service to give the message that our protest is peaceful, non-violent, and our demands are within the ambit of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
Wangchuk also said he is being hounded by government agencies and has received a notice from the income-tax department. A CBI probe has also been initiated against him for allegedly accepting foreign contributions.
“They have started a CBI investigation against me, that is welcome…. CBI officials came and said we are taking foreign contributions without having an FCRA licence…. We do not take any foreign contribution, we take a service fee for our knowledge,” he said.
He said his institute — the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) — has shared its house-building techniques with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for building housing in Afghanistan and has also had similar exchanges with some other foreign institutions.
Wangchuk said he has been served a notice by the IT department.
Last month, the Ladakh administration cancelled the land allotment to the HIAL in Leh.
“They can send the CBI, the ED to probe me, but they should also investigate the charges against the Union Territory administration and the hill council,” Wangchuk said.
The climate activist said he is being accused of “sedition” and wondered what has he done wrong.
“For some people, a company has become the country. Around 48,000 acres of land in eastern Ladakh has been earmarked for a solar power project. The land is being given to the Solar Energy Corporation of India for now, but it is being said that it will eventually be given to a corporation…,” he said, without naming anyone.
“Is opposing the company equal to opposing India? The HIAL is an institution where students do not have to pay any fee. We are studying climate change and they want to take back the land,” he lamented.
Wangchuk added that the issue is not just a matter of concern for Ladakh, but for the entire Himalayas and the country.
He also expressed fear that the people of Ladakh, who have stood by the Indian Army in every conflict, may start getting impacted.
“The people of Ladakh will always remain nationalists, but I am afraid they will become like the people of Delhi and Mumbai…. When there is an attack on the border, it is the people of Ladakh who help the Army, carry their load and work for them. The people of Delhi do not come here to face the enemy at the border,” he said.
“I am afraid that the spirit of the people of Ladakh may get impacted,” he added.
Ladakh, which was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and carved out into a Union Territory in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, has witnessed a series of protests in the last few years, with safeguards under the sixth schedule and statehood being among the key demands. (PTI)
