Sonam Wangchuk, 120 Ladakhis detained outside Delhi; Rahul calls it unacceptable

Around 120 people from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had marched to Delhi demanding Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory, have been detained by the police at the border of the national capital.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has termed as “unacceptable” their detention and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have to listen to Ladakh’s voice.

Unacceptable, says Rahul Gandhi

“The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable,” Rahul said in a post on X.

The former Congress chief also asked why elderly citizens were being detained at Delhi’s border for standing up for Ladakh’s future.

“Modi ji, like with the farmers, this ‘Chakravyuh’ will be broken, and so will your arrogance. You will have to listen to Ladakh’s voice,” the Congress leader said.

Also read: Dilli chalo | Why a group of Ladakhis are on a month-long padayatra

“Not being escorted, detained”

In a post on Instagram shortly before being detained, Wangchuk shared visuals from the Delhi border, where their buses were stopped amid huge police presence.

The climate activist can be seen in the video interacting with police officials.

In his post, Wangchuk said several vehicles of the Delhi Police and its Haryana counterpart were accompanying their buses. While they initially thought that they were being escorted as they approached the national capital, it was clear they were going to be detained.

“As we are approaching Delhi, it appears we are not being escorted, we are being detained,” Wangchuk said.

What is the padyatra about?

He said around 1,000 police personnel had been deployed at the Delhi border and they were informed that heavy deployment of security forces was made at the Ladakh Bhawan in Delhi, and in areas where students from the Union Territory resided.

“It appears they don’t want to allow this padyatra to take place,” he said.

The padyatra, organised by the Leh Apex Body which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, is spearheading an agitation over the past four years to demand statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, early recruitment process along with a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

Women not detained

The Delhi Police on Monday banned gatherings by five or more persons, carrying banners, placards, and arms, and protests in the central part and bordering areas for the next six days, citing law and order issues, including calls for protests by several organisations.

According to Delhi Police sources, the detained people, including Wangchuk, have taken to Alipur and other police stations along the city border.

Women participating in the march were not detained, the source said, adding that the detentions were done in view of prohibitory orders banning gatherings of five or more persons in north and central Delhi.

Also read: Ladakh's 'hot' 35 degrees force airlines to cancel flights

Prohibitory order till October 5

Wangchuk and other wanted to spend the night at the border. They were initially requested to go back as prohibitory orders were imposed in Delhi but when they did not stop, the policemen who were already deployed at the border, detained about 120 men, including Wangchuk, police officer said.

They have been kept at Alipur Police Station and other nearby police stations at the Delhi-Haryana border, the officer said, adding that they will be released after some time.

The prohibitory order will remain effective till October 5.

(With agency inputs)