New Delhi: On Monday night, Delhi Police detained approximately 150 people, including prominent academician and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, as they marched from Ladakh to Delhi demanding the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The detentions occurred at the city’s Singhu border after protestors ignored prohibitory orders and continued their march.
According to police sources, the group was asked to turn back due to restrictions imposed in the capital, but when they refused, border personnel detained them. Sonam Wangchuk, a well-known figure from Ladakh, shared news of the detention via his social media platform ‘X’, expressing disappointment that peaceful demonstrators fighting for Ladakh’s rights were being held.
Wangchuk, an academician and mechanical engineer by training, is celebrated for his work in education reform and climate activism. He is the Founder-Director of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) and has led initiatives for over three decades. The Bollywood film 3 Idiots, starring Aamir Khan, drew inspiration from Wangchuk’s life, bringing his innovative work into the limelight.
Since the removal of Article 370 in 2019, Ladakh was made a Union Territory (UT), stripping it of its legislative assembly and leaving its people without autonomous governance. Wangchuk and the demonstrators demand that Ladakh be granted statehood, with representation under the Sixth Schedule to protect their cultural and land rights. Additionally, they seek more government job opportunities and an increase in parliamentary representation.
This isn’t the first time Wangchuk has led such efforts. In March, he staged a 21-day hunger strike advocating for Ladakh’s autonomy. Despite engaging in talks with the central government, no resolution was reached. However, in August 2024, the government did announce the creation of five new districts in Ladakh, which some believe was in response to Wangchuk’s ongoing movement. The new districts – Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang – will join Leh and Kargil, bringing the total to seven.
Wangchuk’s movement, which has garnered widespread attention, continues to highlight the growing demand for greater representation and autonomy in Ladakh, with no sign of resolution on the horizon.