The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Saturday that the government has chosen to lift the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, which was related to the violence in Leh last September. This decision follows several months after Wangchuk was detained and subsequently transferred to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan under the National Security Act (NSA).
The authorities stated that Wangchuk was held 'to preserve public order' after the violent demonstrations. The Government is dedicated to creating a peaceful, stable, and trusting atmosphere in Ladakh to enable productive and significant discussions with all parties involved. To advance this goal, and after careful deliberation, the Government has chosen to release Shri Sonam Wangchuk from detention immediately, utilizing the authority granted by the National Security Act, according to the government's statement.
The government also mentioned that it is working with stakeholders and community leaders in Ladakh to meet the 'aspirations and concerns of the local population.' The ongoing environment of strikes and demonstrations has harmed the peaceful nature of the society and negatively impacted different segments of the community, such as students, job seekers, businesses, travel agencies, tourists, and the overall economy, it stated.
The government previously claimed that Wangchuk attempted to incite Generation Z to engage in protests akin to those in Nepal and Bangladesh.
Gitanjali J Angmo, his wife, submitted a petition to the Supreme Court contesting Wangchuk's detention under the NSA, describing it as unlawful and an arbitrary action infringing on his fundamental rights. She also asserted that Wangchuk denounced the violence on his social media platforms, clearly stating that such violence would undermine Ladakh's 'tapasya' and the peaceful efforts of the past five years.
Wangchuck was detained two days following violent demonstrations advocating for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, which resulted in four fatalities and 90 injuries in the Union territory. The government alleged that he had incited the unrest.