Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk taken to Jodhpur Central Jail

Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India], September 27 (HBTV): Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail after being detained under the National Security Act (NSA), officials said.

He was shifted to the jail on Friday night following his arrest in Ladakh. Wangchuk’s detention comes in the backdrop of protests in Leh, where demonstrators have been demanding statehood for Ladakh.

The protests turned violent on September 24, with the BJP office in Leh set on fire. Two days after four people were killed in the violence, Wangchuk was arrested and accused of inciting unrest. He had earlier been on a hunger strike, which ended soon after the violence broke out.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains condemned Wangchuk’s detention, calling it an attack on democratic values. ‘Truth can never be imprisoned. Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is a direct attack on democracy and tantamount to trampling the law. He is the voice of Ladakh, not a criminal. He has put in unparalleled effort to strengthen the education system in Ladakh. I demand his immediate release. Suppressing dissenting voices weakens democracy,’ Bains posted on X.

Wangchuk has been a prominent advocate for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for autonomous district councils with legislative and judicial powers. The Sixth Schedule currently applies to Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

Meanwhile, restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remained in place in Leh on Saturday. The order prohibits assembly of five or more persons, processions, rallies, or marches without prior written approval. Security personnel have been deployed to maintain order.

(ANI)