Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk speaks after a protest erupted regarding the demand to advance the proposed talks with the Centre on the extension of the Sixth Schedule as well as Statehood to Ladakh. Photo: X/@Wangchuk66 via PTI
Amid the violence during protests demanding Statehood for Ladakh, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) said that “nobody had an inkling something like this will happen”. He was addressing a virtual press conference after a group of protesters comprising “school girls, college students and monks” clashed with the police.
Violent protests erupted outside the BJP office in Leh town during a 35-day hunger strike called by Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) over the Centre’s delay to hold “result-oriented” talks over several long-pending demands, including Statehood and granting Sixth Schedule status to the region.
“Ladakh witnessed Gen Z frenzy today. They were not listening to anybody. They were not even afraid of bullets,” Mr. Wangchuk said.
“This is the fifth time we have sat on a hunger strike. The peaceful protest turned violent today,” he said. “The youth said peaceful protests are not working… we were being told by the youth for the past few days.”
The situation turned volatile on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) after two protestors were hospitalised a day ago.
He said, “The (Union) Home Ministry gave a date for talks after 15 days hunger strike. This further angered the people. The Sixth Schedule is as relevant as it was five years ago. In 2020, under similar circumstances, a special plane was sent from Delhi to enable talks with our leaders. The delay in determining the date of talks was a major reason for anger among the youth.”
Accusing the government of defeating the peaceful protests by forcing the youth to take up violence, Mr. Wangchuk said, “We had not seen the faces of Gen Z who protested today. Till today, our complaint was that the youth are not participating and only the elderly are part of the protest. Only 25-30 youth participated so far, today it was beyond our imagination.”
“Congress doesn’t have that kind of influence in Ladakh that thousands will throng the streets of Ladakh on their call,” he said
Mr. Wangchuk and other residents of Ladakh had been on a hunger strike to demand constitutional safeguards for the region bordering China which was converted into a Union Territory in 2019.
A high-powered committee led by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai was first constituted in January 2023 to address the concerns of people in Ladakh. The committee was reconstituted in November 2023, but the talks broke down in March 2024. The discussions resumed on December 3, 2024, and the last round was held on May 27, 2025.
Published – September 24, 2025 07:10 pm IST
