Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Ladakh starting April 30, and talks between the Centre and Ladakh next month, activist Sonam Wangchuk speaks to The Indian Express on what he hopes for the Union Territory, and why it would be just for the Centre to fulfill those demands.
Detained for six months under the National Security Act (NSA), for allegedly instigating the violent protests in Ladakh in September 2025 which led to four deaths in police firing, Wangchuk was released last month. In a statement, the Union Home Minister said it was doing so as the government “remains committed to fostering an environment of peace, stability and mutual trust in Ladakh”.
What is your immediate demand for the Centre?
Leaders of the Leh Apex Body urge the Centre to withdraw criminal cases against 83 people (arrested along with Wangchuk), who have been wrongfully charged under various Sections. Some of them are spiritual and religious workers and leaders. Some were passersby trying to stop the violence (during the September protests).
I was charged as the ‘main conspirator’, but the Centre withdrew the NSA against me. We hope such a gesture is shown to these people too.
The stand of the Ladakh administration is that cases against these people are still on.
I know that as far as my case was concerned, the NSA was withdrawn just before the Supreme Court was to pronounce its judgment (on his detention under the NSA). But we believe it was withdrawn as a goodwill gesture, and so we urge the Centre to show a similar stance towards the 83.
Also, there have been violations on the part of the administration, security forces too. Real bullets were used against our own citizens. Some were shot in the head, some in the chest… Trust building can happen if cases are withdrawn, and this gesture can pave the way towards a meaningful dialogue.
This is Amit Shah’s first visit to Ladakh since the protests. What do people of Ladakh expect from this visit?
More than expectations, we feel this is the right time to take the dialogue process forward. Shah had earlier too expressed his desire that talks can take place in Ladakh. As earlier, it was stated that leaders of both Leh and Kargil should participate in the meetings to be held with the Centre… and that Shah would personally chair the meeting. Now both are together.
This time the Union minister is coming for a pious occasion. Holy relics of Lord Buddha are being brought here… (But) Many leaders will be there, so talks can happen here also.
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has said talks are scheduled to take place on May 22.
Those talks are at the sub-committee level, and no senior officer participates in them. After four months, these talks have been scheduled and these meetings do not lead to a meaningful, constructive dialogue. The Home Minister himself would be in Ladakh… if he can chair a meeting, it would lead talks towards a decisive mode… People are getting disappointed.
What is one non-negotiable demand as per the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance?
I have not been a part of previous meetings at the Centre, but what I was told by the leaders was that it’s not about non-negotiability, rather flexibility… So, to answer your question, I would say mutual acceptability is the non-negotiable part of it. People are ready to negotiate, but to a mutually acceptable conclusion…
Two issues which have been constantly discussed are statehood, which means democracy restoration, and Sixth Schedule, which means autonomous councils for Scheduled Tribes. This was pledged by the current government… It is any citizen’s right to seek… that the government fulfils those pledges.
Some in the BJP claim that demanding special constitutional status or statehood can be counterproductive to national security.
It’s a very strange argument because if you consider Arunachal Pradesh, when it became a state, the rationale for giving it statehood was that it’s a sensitive border region and therefore should be made a state. People of Arunachal were not struggling like people in Ladakh are, yet they were given statehood.
So if Arunachal has not become a disturbed place, then that rationale was not wrong. Therefore, it can be applied to Ladakh. And going by that, even Rajasthan is a border state, Gujarat is a border state…
Some in Delhi believe that in the name of environmental protection, Ladakh’s development has been stalled.
Environment protection is not only important for Ladakh, it’s important for the whole nation and planet… If you don’t have fresh air or water, or no water, then the development of today is the disaster of tomorrow. It’s already happening in places like Delhi…
We want a middle path, balanced development.
How do you respond to being termed ‘anti-national’, after the NSA charges against you?
(Laughs) If for India, I’m an anti-national, then all others must be so national, so patriotic that I love to be an anti-national. If that’s the benchmark, everybody in Delhi, in Mumbai are patriotic. But unfortunately I doubt that’s the case… Somebody who has worked on the borders and on uplifting people, helping soldiers, if that person is called anti-national, then the nationals must be like heavenly, super nation lovers. And I can only congratulate them.
