Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk arrested after statehood protest kills 4
What's the story
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested by the Leh Police, two days after the central government blamed him for inciting a mob with provocative statements. He was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting the protesters who were demanding statehood for Ladakh. Four people were killed and over 90 were injured during the protest. The BJP office and Ladakh Hill Council Secretariat were also torched by the mob.
Unrest reasons
Centre's unfulfilled promises led to violence, says Wangchuk
On Thursday, Wangchuk rejected the allegations that he instigated the mob, accusing the Union Home Ministry of using him as a "scapegoat" instead of addressing underlying issues such as unfulfilled promises of statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. He also warned that his arrest will not quell the ongoing unrest in Ladakh. He blamed rising youth unemployment and broken promises for the discontent and violence.
Protest conclusion
Hunger strike and home ministry's allegations
Wangchuk ended his 15-day hunger strike after the violence broke out. While he said that the violence was sparked by the hospitalization of two hunger strikers, he expressed disappointment over the peaceful protest's failure and urged Ladakhi youth to avoid violence, which he believes weakens their cause. "I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause," he wrote on X.
Centre
What Home Ministry said
The Home Ministry had blamed the climate activist for instigating the mob hours after the violence broke out. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said, "In spite of many leaders urging Wangchuk to call off the hunger strike, he continued...misleading the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protests and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal." It added that the mob, driven by Wangchuk's statements, left the hunger strike location and attacked a political party office.
SECMOL
FCRA license of Wangchuk's nonprofit canceled
Amid the mounting pressure, the MHA had also canceled the registration of Wangchuk's non-profit 'Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh' (SECMOL) to receive funds from abroad under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, or FCRA, 2010, on Thursday. He told NDTV on Thursday that his nonprofit did not accept foreign contributions, but it did conduct business with the UN, Swiss, and Italian organizations and paid all taxes. "They mistook it as foreign contributions," he told the channel.