Ladakh Voices ‘Vindication’ As Sonam Wangchuk Walks Free Amid Simmering Standoff

Srinagar: As the climate activist Sonam Wangchuk walked out of Jodhpur jail after his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) was revoked by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the move is seen as a tactical “face-saving” in Ladakh coming before the Supreme Court weighs in on the high-profile case.

Wangchuk, a Magsaysay recipient, was arrested under the NSA on September 26, 2025, two days after the 14-day-long hunger strike he led spiralled into violent clashes with police. Four people were killed, and 90 were wounded in the clashes. Since then, he has served half of the detention period under the law in Rajasthan's Jodhpur jail while his petition challenging the detention is being heard in the Supreme Court. The top court is scheduled to hear the case on March 17.

“It has vindicated our stand,” said Chering Dorjey Larkuk, chairman of the Leh Apex Body (LAB). The LAB, alongside the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), is spearheading the movement for statehood and the Sixth Schedule for the Ladakh union territory.

“The case against Wangchuk was built on lies. The government of India preempted the case wouldn’t stand in the Supreme Court and withdrew it to avoid embarrassment,” he told ETV Bharat.

Ladakh, comprising Kargil and Leh districts in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, was hived off as a separate union territory without a legislature after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two union territories. Despite a politically and ideologically divergent Buddhist and Muslim alliance, they are spearheading a joint campaign for their demands.

With over 90 per cent ethnic population, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, led by Dr Nand Kumar Sai, had also recommended inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule. In its poll manifesto of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in October 2020, the BJP had also promised constitutional safeguards for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.

The Sixth Schedule provision allows setting up autonomous district councils in tribal areas with legislative and administrative autonomy. Though both districts have autonomous hill councils, it will empower them further if granted the ability to make laws on forests, property, education, taxation, etc.

In 2023, the central government set up a High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh led by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, to hold dialogue with the Ladakh bodies on these issues. But the talks were stalled after Ladakh bodies refused to engage with the central government in October 2025 until their demands, including a judicial inquiry into the killings, were met.

A three-member commission led by Justice (Retd) B.S. Chauhan has been conducting the inquiry since last year, with a total of 22 witnesses from the administration examined till December 2025. The commission’s Joint Secretary Rigzin Spalgon confirmed that the inquiry resumed in March 2026, with 18 administrative witnesses examined and 45 public affidavits submitted so far.

“We have held 15 meetings with the home ministry,” said Asgar Ali Karbalai, a senior leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance. The last meeting was held in February after the centre asked them to submit a draft proposal of their demands, breaking the stalemate. But the meeting remained ‘inconclusive’.

“Nothing has happened so far, as they (the government) are not serious. We submitted a draft proposal of our demands, but they are delaying addressing the aspirations of Ladakh,” he said, charging the central government with forcing them to agitate and call for a shutdown on March 16.

Interestingly, the withdrawal of the case against Wangchuk comes days before the proposed protest march and a day after newly appointed Vinai Kumar Saxena took over as lieutenant governor of Ladakh, vowing to address the ‘aspirations’ of the people.

But Laruk dismisses the significance of LG’s powers, saying his mandate is restricted to development while people’s “aspiration is statehood”.

“The Home Ministry has to decide about our issue. We are peace-loving people, but are forced to go for a protest to press for our demands,” he said.

As the region braces for the peaceful protest rally to press for dialogue, Karabali noted that Wangchuk’s release is ‘partial’ unless 80 people remain detained.

“We want all detainees and their cases to be withdrawn,” he said. “The families of four martyrs who laid down their lives should be compensated in a dignified way, and those injured should also be compensated.”

Both LAB and KDA urged people to participate in the protest rally despite the Ladakh administration’s appeal to reconsider the proposed procession.

While acknowledging the democratic right to protest, Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra appealed to the bodies to reconsider their proposed protest.

Citing the coming tourist season, he said the protest could create a negative impression about the situation in the region and send out a message that there was an environment of bandh and protests.

“It could also impact the local economy,” Kundra said, noting that the new LG Saxena has expressed willingness to engage with stakeholders and the centre to make "a new beginning and wants to hold an open dialogue."

But Karbalai said they are "being forced to agitate and protest because the government of India does not listen to us."

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2. Ladakh Activist Sonam Wangchuk Released From Jodhpur Jail After MHA Revokes Detention Under NSA
3. 'Modi Govt Exposed Once Again': AAP Chief Kejriwal After Centre Revokes Activist Wangchuk's Detention Under NSA