Kargil, Sept 02: The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) organized a protest rally today, drawing support from political, religious, and social organizations across the region.
The demonstration, supported by civil society, was held in protest against the BJP-led central government’s failure to address long-standing demands for Ladakh.
Protesters raised slogans condemning the government for detaining environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk and the group of padayatris who had marched from Ladakh to Delhi to demand statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.
The protest rally also called for the immediate release of the detainees and an end to what they described as government repression.
“We will continue our demands to safeguard the constitutional rights for Ladakh,” said Nasir Munshi, President of the District Congress Committee in Kargil and councillor in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). Munshi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage with Ladakhis and address their grievances with sincerity.
The protest comes just a day after a complete shutdown was observed across Ladakh on October 1, following a joint call by the KDA and the Leh Apex Body (LAB). The bandh, which saw widespread participation, brought daily life to a halt, with shops closed, transport services suspended, and businesses shut down.
The bandh was called in response to the detention of Sonam Wangchuk and the padayatris during their “Delhi Chalo” march, which aimed to draw attention to Ladakh’s demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards. Protesters were outraged at the detention, calling it a violation of their democratic rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
In a statement, the KDA condemned the detentions as “a blatant violation of our fundamental rights” and called for unity among Ladakhis in their struggle for justice. “We must stand united in protest against such inhumane behavior,” the statement read.
Later in the day, reports emerged that the Delhi Police had transferred 150 detained padayatris to Rajghat, where they planned to break their two-day fast and pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Peaceful supporters and media outlets joined the gathering, which sought to draw attention to the ongoing struggle for Ladakh’s rights.
The KDA and LAB continue to push for their four-point agenda, which includes demands for statehood, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, job protection for local youth, and the preservation of Ladakh’s unique cultural and environmental heritage.
Sonam Wangchuk released by Delhi police
New Delhi, Oct 2: Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was detained by the Delhi Police, has been released from Bawana Police Station on Wednesday. A team of Delhi Police escorted him to Rajghat where he is expected to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Wangchuk, along with around 120 others from Ladakh, was detained on Monday night, September 30, 2024, at the Delhi-Haryana border.
Wangchuk and his supporters were detained while marching from Leh to Delhi to demand constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. The march, which began on September 1, was set to culminate at Rajghat on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
Earlier, Ladakh’s Member of Parliament, Mohmad Haneefa, was released by the Delhi police, the MP confirmed.
Haneefa was detained by Delhi police on Tuesday, a day after more than hundred protesters from Ladakh, including Sonam Wangchuk, were held at the Delhi-Haryana border.
On October 1, The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Apex Body, Leh had called for a bandh across Ladakh following the detention of renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday night.Shops in Ladakh were observed closed as residents demanded Wangchuk’s release and advocate for the sixth schedule to safeguard the region’s rights.
Wangchuk and other volunteers had embarked on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh’s leadership regarding their demands.
One of their key demands is for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity.
The march was organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) in coordination with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), both of which have been leading an agitation for the past four years. (ANI)
