Sonam Wangchuk asks President Droupadi Murmu over Ladakh lease cancelation
Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk is asking President Droupadi Murmu for help, saying the Ladakh administration is targeting him and other critics.
This follows the cancelation of his Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL) land lease in August 2025, which officials said was over failure to execute the lease deed, failure to pay the required premium within the stipulated period, and alleged non-compliance with the land's intended use.
Wangchuk cites Ladakh Sixth Schedule safeguards
Wangchuk believes the backlash is because he's been vocal about protecting Ladakh through Sixth Schedule safeguards.
He also says the lieutenant governor's office has tried to discredit him online, including Wangchuk releasing excerpts of what he described as a "sting operation" conducted by his lawyers, and that people have faced FIRs and arrests just for engaging on social media.
On top of that, he's calling out policies he feels put big business ahead of local communities, while a labor court case involving allegations of non-payment of statutory maternity benefits and unfair treatment of a former HIAL employee adds more tension to the mix.