Wangchuk said that I am fasting for 21 days, because it is in line with the longest fast done by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle. My aim is to follow the peaceful path of Mahatma Gandhi, in which we suffer without hurting anyone. Our aim through this fast is to draw the attention of the government towards our issue. Read
लद्दाख की जनता की माँगों को लेकर सोनम वांगचुक का आमरण अनशन जारी
Social activist Sonam Wangchuk began a fast unto death on 5 March against the central government’s reluctance to grant statehood to Ladakh and implement the Sixth Schedule. Wangchuk has vowed to continue his fast unto death at the NDS Stadium in Leh until the government pays attention to his demands. Braving the bone-chilling temperatures of minus -16 degrees Celsius, Wangchuk and local residents continue to protest in the open both day and night to draw the government’s attention to their demands.
Before going on his fast, Wangchuk stressed on the 2019 manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said that the manifesto brought by the BJP in 2019 included bringing Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, underlining that 97 percent of Ladakh’s population consists of indigenous tribal communities.
Addressing his supporters, Wangchuk said that I am fasting for 21 days, because it is in line with the longest fast done by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle. My aim is to follow the peaceful path of Mahatma Gandhi, in which we suffer without hurting anyone. Through this fast our aim is to draw the attention of the government towards our issue. To force the government and policy makers to take immediate action.
On the fourth day of his fast, Wangchuk expressed the growing dissatisfaction among the people of Ladakh due to not getting statehood. Emphasizing the precarious state of India’s border defense in the region, he pointed to the dangerous security threats along the India-China and India-Pakistan borders in Ladakh. Wangchuk highlighted the declining morale among the Indian armed forces deployed in Ladakh, citing neglect and internal unrest affecting traditional strongholds such as the Ladakh Scouts, Sikh Regiment and Gorkha Regiment. Wangchuk said, the reason for greater concern is the mystery of active recruitment of Gorkha soldiers by the Chinese authorities, which is a serious threat to India’s defense posture.
Despite Wangchuk’s passionate appeal, mainstream officials in the state are maintaining silence on the seriousness of the situation. Wangchuk criticized this silence, calling it a betrayal of trust and a disservice to the nation. Wangchuk urged the mainstream media to give priority to the impending crisis in Ladakh. He remarked that the mainstream media has covered Seema Haider extensively for a long time, yet is silent about the impending crisis in Ladakh. Emphasizing that India’s security is in danger, immediate action should be taken before a silence of indifference prevails in the region.
Let us tell you, during both the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2020 local hill council elections, the BJP committed to introduce the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh as a Union Territory. Despite winning the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat in 2019, the assurances given by the BJP were not honored, leading to Wangchuk’s unwavering opposition in support of Ladakh’s legitimate demands.
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