Sonam Wangchuk recounts 'horror story' of six-month jail ordeal

Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, upon his release from a six-month detention under the NSA, described his ordeal as a 'horror story' and detailed his wife's legal struggle. He now hopes for constructive dialogue with the government.

Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday recounted his nearly six-month ordeal in Jodhpur Central Jail as a "huge horror story," highlighting the challenges his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, faced in seeking legal recourse. Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur Central Jail after nearly six months in detention, following the government's revocation of his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) on Saturday. He expressed hope that dialogue with the authorities will continue and emphasised that further action would only be necessary if talks fail.

'A huge horror story'

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Wangchuk said, "I was waiting to come out (of the jail) either as we win in the court or after 12 months. I was very well prepared to spend 12 months and come out and share the horror stories of all the wrongs that happened to me and to her (Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo). Right from how abruptly from my home I was, you know, bundled up and thrown into this jail, without any opportunity even to call my family or my lawyers for days, more than a week. Or of her, who could not even meet journalists to voice her anguish with heavy security positioning around the campus and how she slipped out into Delhi to knock on the doors of the court and how for two or three weeks there was a kind of cat and mouse chase on the streets of Delhi with her cars followed by people in cars and motorcycles. It was all a filmy scene."

"It was a huge horror story of how it was made so difficult to send anything to my lawyers. Otherwise, it was great. The jail, the staff, and the people there were very upright and very kind despite keeping to their laws and disciplines and so on. I'm happy that I won't have to go into those things... But now with this hand extended from the government, I'm spared from having to do any of those. I really hope that the dialogue process will go on. And only if they fail and we are compelled to again, appeal in other ways will we need to share those," he said.

A 'win-win' for Ladakh and the cause

Wangchuk welcomed the government's gesture to initiate meaningful dialogue, calling it a "win-win" for Ladakh, the causes he represents, and even the authorities. "I feel wonderful today after these two days of regaining my voice and unfurling my little wings and reorienting myself... I'm a little greedy person. A win was not enough for me. I was always looking for a win-win. A win would be just Sonam Wangchuk's win. What good is Sonam Wangchuk winning if Ladakh and the Himalayas and the causes he represents do not win? Therefore, we were looking for a win-win for the causes," Wangchuk said.

He emphasised that his struggle was not only for personal justice but also to ensure broader gains for environmental and regional causes, and expressed hope that the process would guide future use of laws like the National Security Act. "Now, with the recent extension of hands by the government to build trust, as they have said, and to facilitate meaningful constructive dialogue. This is a great thing because this way Ladakh will also win, and our cause will also win. So it will be truly a win-win. It will be a win-win-win also, because the government will come out looking better and our image in the world will be a little better and it will be even better win-win-win, if the Court also records a judgment in this case apart from revocation of the order itself so that it guides future executives and future policy makers about how to use and specially how not to use such laws as National Security Act," he said.

'The struggle was to start a dialogue'

"As I said, they have offered constructive, meaningful dialogue. This is all that we were struggling for: to start a dialogue. We had to struggle so much, walk from Leh to Delhi, go on anshans, go to jail, to exactly get that. If you see all the movements in Ladakh, they are appealing for starting the talks and dialogue process. Even yesterday's rallies that I watched from here, the demand was to resume talks... The people are appealing to the government to please come to the discussion table and start a constructive dialogue. Now that the government also says, let's start a meaningful, constructive dialogue, and build trust," he said.

Wangchuk was taken into custody on September 26, 2025, two days after protests in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)