Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk arrest 2025 under the National Security Act on Friday, just days after Leh saw protests that turned violent. The arrest was in relation to youth-led statehood protests for Ladakh, which had left four people dead and over 50 wounded. Police chief DGP SD Singh Jamwal confirmed that Wangchuk had taken in because of the instigation of the protestors.
Escalation of Protests in Leh
The police claimed the protests had started peacefully, but changed into violent confrontations with security personnel on Wednesday. Protestors set vehicles and offices ablaze, pelted stones at police, and then police responded with baton charges and tear gas. Curfews were imposed in Leh after the protests turned violent, and orders were given to shut down internet services to avoid another outbreak of violence.
NGO License Revoked Amid Allegations
Sonam Wangchuk arrest 2025 a day after the Union Home Ministry revoked the FCRA license of the NGO he established and runs, called SECMOL. The ministry cited possible financial wrongdoing to justify the license revocation, and claims that Wangchuk had made inflammatory speeches encouraging violence. The CBI has also reported having opened a preliminary investigation into the foreign funding of SECMOL.
Wangchuk Denounces Allegations
Wangchuk, on the other hand, rejected the entire case as a political vendetta. He claimed the government was persecuting him to silence Ladakh’s dissenting voice. His detention under the harsh National Security Act has triggered outrage across the country and sparked discussions about democratic liberties among political parties.
Push for Sixth Schedule Status
Wangchuk is a prominent figure behind the Ladakh protests, mobilizing youth and calling for statehood. The protestors are demanding that Ladakh be inserted into the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which would provide jobs and land, as well as seats in the Legislative Assemblies to parliament.
Opposition Condemns Arrest
Opposition parties condemned Wangchuk’s incarceration strongly, calling it dictatorial and treason against Ladakh’s people.
Kejriwal Warns Against Dictatorship
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal compared the arrest to the dictators of history. “Raavan’s end also came. Kansa’s end also came. Hitler’s end also came. Mussolini’s end also came. Dictatorship is at its height,” Kejriwal posted on X. He warned that leaders who act arrogantly all come to a bad end.
Omar Abdullah Accuses Centre of Backtracking
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accused the Centre of “backtracking” on its promises. “They were so anxious about this man yesterday, it’s like they were going to do something like this. There promises made to the people. I do not understand why the Centre has walked back on the promises.”
Congress Leaders Criticize BJP’s Governance
The arrest has also drawn condemnation from Congress Joint Secretary Jairam Ramesh. He stated that the arrests are an effort to divert attention from the BJP’s failure to maintain law and order in Ladakh. He added on X that “the crux of the matter is that the BJP has unabashedly deceived the people of Ladakh” over the years, and it reminded everyone that the BJP had promised Sixth Schedule status in the 2020 Leh Hill Council elections and then backtracked.
Protests Highlight Regional Grievances
Ramesh continued by saying the government dismantled the state of Jammu and Kashmir and claimed it was giving autonomy. However, Ramesh stated they eliminated any and all democratic processes in the Union Territory.
The protests in Leh were one of the more significant threats after Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019. No one is really prepared to accuse the government of not taking the demands for statehood and constitutional protections seriously. Activists, students, and farmers have come together, and Wangchuk has been made a representative of this collective group.
Concerns Over Governance and Trust
The Centre’s action to apply the National Security Act against a climate activist has also raised questions of trust and governance. Experts warn that such actions could exacerbate the alienation of Ladakhis, leading to more instability.
As it does so, the opposition parties are using the detention to strengthen their argument against the BJP. By branding the detention as authoritarian, the parties are attempting to highlight deficiencies in law and governance.https://www.thehindu.com
Detention Sparks National Debate
Sonam Wangchuk’s detention has also evolved into more than a regional law-and-order problem. It signals the people’s struggle for recognition, constitutional rights, and security. While the Centre alleges Wangchuk is inciting unrest and financial impropriety, many of his supporters view him as a pawn of political vendetta. The fierce response of the opposition guarantees that his detainment will continue to be a source of national conflict, tying Ladakh’s local unrest to broader discussions of democracy and government in India.
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About the Author
BJP , INC can’t fund Ladakh’s security, conservation and growth.