Wangchuk's wife defends him, blames security forces for violence
What's the story
Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of jailed activist Sonam Wangchuk, has rejected allegations of financial irregularities and "Pakistan links" against her husband. She said Wangchuk's protests for Ladakh's rights were peaceful and blamed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for escalating violence on September 24. The activist was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) after protests demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh turned violent, killing four and injuring 90.
Defense stance
Why would CRPF fire on own people, asks Angmo
Angmo has also questioned the CRPF's decision to open fire on protesters, asking why they would use force against their own people. She also defended Wangchuk's actions, saying he only knew about a peaceful protest and not any non-peaceful plans. The activist's wife said his Ladakhi words were taken out of context and mistranslated when he allegedly made a provocative speech.
Visit defense
Foreign visits climate-focused, not anti-national: Angmo
Angmo also defended Wangchuk's foreign visits, saying they were climate-focused and not anti-national. She said his attendance at a United Nations conference on climate change was proof of this. On allegations of financial discrepancies involving their institutions, Angmo detailed HIAL's foreign funding and its compliance with regulations. She denied any wrongdoing and said HIAL doesn't charge fees from students but funds operations through innovations like ice stupas.
Institutional impact
Angmo blames administrative delays for land allotment holdup
Angmo also highlighted HIAL's contributions to innovation and criticized administrative delays in land allotment and registration. She said these delays are not due to any fault of their institution but because of the UT administration's lack of categories for such institutions. After the September 24 violence, the Union Home Ministry canceled SECMOL's FCRA license, citing alleged financial discrepancies.