Ahead of a hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, currently lodged in a Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan, has appealed to the people of Ladakh to maintain peace and unity and continue with the ongoing struggle for Statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the true Gandhian way of non-violence. The plea was filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activist’s detention under the NSA and seeking his immediate release.
Wangchuk conveyed the message through the legal advisor of Leh Apex Body, Haji Mustafa, who, along with the activist’s elder brother Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley, met him at Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan on Saturday.
Wangchuk also conveyed that unless there is an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the four people during the September 24 violence, “I am prepared to stay in jail.” He was detained on September 26 in Leh under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and scores of others injured in the Union Territory. Authorities have accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence. Mustafa posted Wangchuk’s “message” on his personal social media accounts, including X and Facebook, on Sunday after meeting the activist.
“I am doing well, both physically and mentally and thank everyone for their concern and prayers. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives and my prayers with people who are injured and are arrested,” Sonam Wangchuk said.
He said there should be an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the four people. Unless that is done, “I am prepared to stay in jail”.
