The Union Territory of Ladakh, one of India’s most sensitive border regions and witness to the Galwan clash with China in 2020, last week faced unrest and violent protests after a section of population were instigated on the likes of GenZ revolution over demands of a statehood and inclusion of the region in the sixth schedule of the constitution
Ladakh before August 5, 2019, was part of Jammu and Kashmir state, but carved into a Union Territory, an over two decade demand by the people of the region, when Article 370 was abrogated. Jammu and Kashmir was converted into a Union Territory with legislation and Ladakh without one, due to its strategic existence and national security concerns.
However, of late, a demand of a statehood and inclusion of the region into the Sixth Schedule of the constitution began rising by some activist groups and Sonam Wangchuk, one of India’s celebrated environmentalists.
In order to listen to the demands and carry discussions forward, the Centre constituted a High-Powered Committee (HPC) in January 2023 to address the demands of Ladakhi groups, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The committee is headed by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Amid this, environment activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike pressing for these two demands, pointed out that the BJP’s Lok Sabha manifesto in 2019 promised Sixth Schedule protections and the same was promised in the 2020 Hill Council elections.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk runs two NGOs — one is called Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) and the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL).
As protests began building up, they turned violent during the last week of September 2025 (last month) when an unruly mob resorted to damaging public property, including the BJP office, to such an extent that the cops had to resort to firing, resulting in the deaths of four people and many injured.
At this point, Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike, called off his agitation and escaped from the site where these incidents took place.
As the protests took a tragic turn claiming at least 4 lives when an unruly mob resorted to the destruction of the public property, the Ministry of Home Affairs accused the environmentalist of inciting the youth though his provocative statements.
“A mob motivated by his provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as the government office of the CEC Leh… It is clear that the mob was guided by Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements,” the MHA said in its statement.
Wangchuk has also been alleged to have ties with a Pakistani PIO who was recently held after former’s visit to Pakistan for a climate conference.
These turn of events led to his arrest, as he has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA) of the Bharatiya Niyay Sanhita (BNS) and lodged in Jodhpur jail.
Following Wangchuk’s arrest, his wife, Geetanjali J Angmo, appealed to the President of India Droupadi Murmu, urging his unconditional release. She termed his arrest as illegal detention, a witch-hunt, calling it a sin and a strategic error.
