Sonam Wangchuk urges India avoid crackdown at Jantar Mantar protests
Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk has urged the Indian government not to crack down on peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar.
Speaking at the IPF Festival in Mumbai, he called protests a healthy way for people to give feedback to leaders.
Wangchuk pointed out that stifling public voices can backfire, as seen in Nepal and Sri Lanka, and suggested creating protest zones closer to where decisions are made so people's concerns are actually heard.
Sonam Wangchuk criticizes paramilitary use
Wangchuk also criticized using paramilitary forces against protesters, saying they belong at the borders, not among citizens.
He pushed for more local decision-making in Ladakh after its 2019 split from Jammu and Kashmir, recalling his own detention following violent protests in Ladakh last year as a reminder of why democracy matters.
His comments come while his Himalayan Institute of Alternatives faces a land dispute, adding personal weight to his call for fair governance.