New Delhi: On Monday night, Delhi Police detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters at the Singhu border. According to the police, Section 163 of the BNS has been enforced at the borders of Delhi. Mr. Wangchuk took to X to announce his detention.
“I AM BEING DETAINED… along with 150 marchers at the Delhi Border, by a large police presence, reportedly around 1,000. Many elderly men and women in their 80s and several Army veterans are with us… Our fate remains uncertain. We were conducting a peaceful march to Bapu’s Samadhi in the so-called largest democracy in the world… Hai Ram!” he posted on X.
Mr. Wangchuk and a group of volunteers began a walking march from Leh to New Delhi to persuade the government to re-engage with Ladakh’s leaders regarding their requests.
One primary demand is for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which would give local residents law-making authority to safeguard their land and cultural identity. Mr. Wangchuk and approximately 75 volunteers started their march from Leh on September 1.
Earlier, Mr. Wangchuk emphasized their goal was to remind the government of a promise made five years ago. “We are on a mission to remind the government to fulfil the promise it made to us five years ago,” he stated on September 14 as the march reached Himachal Pradesh.
Mr. Wangchuk has been advocating for statehood, the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution—bestowing special rights to tribal communities—and enhanced ecological protections for the region. Previously, he undertook a nine-day fast in Leh to highlight the need for protecting Ladakh’s delicate mountain ecology and its indigenous people.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
