Sonam Wangchuk News: The Delhi Police has detained 150 people, including social activist Sonam Wangchuk, late on Monday, September 30. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was coming to Delhi to demand the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule, but he was detained along the Singhu border in Haryana. Section 163 has also been imposed in view of the possibility of the protests intensifying.
Why Was Sonam Wangchuk Detained?
The Delhi Police imposed Section 163 of the BNS, restricting the assembly of more than four persons at a place. The restrictions were imposed to prevent a law and order situation. Sonam Wangchuk was at the Singhu border after the curbs were imposed.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said on Tuesday that she would meet Sonam Wangchuk, who is in the custody of the Delhi Police. "Sonam Wangchuk and our 150 Ladakhi brothers and sisters were coming to Delhi peacefully. The police stopped them. They were imprisoned at Bawana police station last night. Is it wrong for Ladakh to demand democratic rights? Is it wrong for satyagrahis to go to the Gandhi Samadhi on October 2? Stopping Sonam Wangchuk is dictatorship. I will go to Bawana police station to meet him today at 1 PM," said Atishi.
Sonam Wangchuk was to enter Delhi via the Singhu border while marching on foot from Ladakh to the national capital. Police took Wangchuk and other protesters into custody and detained them in Alipur and other police stations on the city's border. A police officer said that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was asked to go back, but when he did not stop, the policemen deployed at the border detained about 150 people, including the activist.
Wangchuk was leading the 'Delhi Chalo' march that started in Leh on September 1 and was slated to reach Delhi this evening. After Sonam Wangchuk was detained, independent social activism organisations Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body Leh, called for a 'Ladakh bandh' on Tuesday. The two organisations had organised the march.
What Is Sonam Wanghcuk Demanding For Ladakh?
Sonam Wangchuk is demanding the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule. Article 244 of the Constitution of India deals with the administration of the Scheduled and Tribal areas in the country. The Sixth Schedule of Article 244 includes four states Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
While the rest of the states come under the Fifth Schedule. The Sixth Schedule has special provisions regarding the administration of tribal areas. Under this, it also has the right to make laws on some matters which are of legislative, judicial, and administrative importance. Wangchuk believes that the inclusion of Ladakh under the sixth schedule will ensure the formulation of legislation and administrative measures for better protection of the ecology and culture of the region.
Wangchuk is also demanding separate statehood for Ladakh and Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil for better representation in Parliament.