Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and about 20 protesters were detained by Delhi Police on Sunday during a demonstration outside Ladakh Bhawan, officials said. The group, including 20-25 individuals fasting alongside Wangchuk, was taken to the Mandir Marg police station. Authorities had arranged heavy police deployment to maintain order.
To maintain law and order, heavy police were deployed at the Ladakh Bhawan. Some of the protesters claimed that they were not protesting but sitting peacefully.
A senior police official clarified that the group does not have any permission to protest at Ladakh Bhawan. "They have filed an application to hold a protest at the Jantar Mantar. Their application is under consideration. They are not allowed to protest at any other site. We have detained a few people, who will be released soon," he said, news agency PTI reported.
Wangchuk Demands Inclusion In Sixth Schedule
Wangchuk and his supporters marched from Leh to Delhi, advocating for Ladakh’s inclusion in the sixth schedule of the Constitution. They had been previously detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border on September 30 and released on October 2.
Their demand included a meeting with top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The sixth schedule of the Constitution contains provisions for governing tribal areas in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
It allows the creation of autonomous councils with legislative, judicial, executive, and financial authority in order to manage these regions independently. The protesters are also calling for statehood, the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha constituencies for the Leh and Kargil districts.