Hundreds join Sonam Wangchuk on final day of his 5-day hunger strike over Ladakh issues
Leaders of the Leh Apex Body of Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) were among those who joined Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer whose life inspired a character in the Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots.
FollowHundreds of people joined the education reformist Sonam Wangchuk on the final day of his five-day hunger strike on Monday, January 30, 2023, in support of the demand for various safeguards for Ladakh, including the extension of the Constitution's Sixth Schedule to the Union territory.
Leaders of the Leh Apex Body of Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) were among those who joined Wangchuk, an engineer whose life inspired a character in the Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots.
The apex body and the KDA, a separate amalgamation of socio-religious, political, and youth organisations, are jointly spearheading a campaign to press for their four-point demands, which include full statehood and safeguards for the region under the Sixth Schedule.
At the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) campus, Wangchuk said, "Today is the last day of my symbolic carbon-neutral climatic fast, and I am grateful to everyone who has participated. The fast was an attempt to draw Prime Minister (Narendra Modi's) attention so that our leaders could brief him on their concerns and demands."
Wangchuk believes that protecting the Himalayas, including its glaciers, is more important than making some 'corporators happy,' as it directly impacts the people of the subcontinent.
He added, "A long-term plan must be developed by the government to safeguard the Himalayan environment. It should also follow through on its pledge to include Ladakh in the Constitution's Sixth Schedule."
Wangchuk warned to intensify his protest if the government did not respond. "This was just a symbolic protest; if there were no response, I would go on a hunger strike for ten days, then for fifteen days, and so on until I died."
Former MP and Chairman of the Leh Apex Body of Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule Thupstan Chhewang has announced a large rally against the 'government's failure to protect Ladakh's identity and culture' for January 31.
The Apex Body and the KDA staged a joint protest in Jammu on January 15 to support their demands, including protecting land and jobs. Additionally, they announced a similar protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in the third week of February.
(With inputs from PTI)
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