Leh had undergone a dramatic uprising in tensions after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to custody by police in response to the ongoing protests asking for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule. The authorities acted quickly to cut off the internet access across the city and also set up curfews in different areas in answer to violent clashes that had a casualty count of four dead and more than ninety injured.
Sequence of events and government response
Wangchuk started a hunger strike on September 10 to ask for greater autonomy and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. He was taken into custody by Ladakh DGP SD Singh Jamwal at 2:30 PM on Friday. The arrest took place just two days after he ended his 15-day hunger strike by citing mounting violence. Protests grew increasingly heated, with demonstrators lighting up vehicles and clashing with police, who then opened fire in self-defence.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier criticized Wangchuk, therefore blaming him for provocative speeches that have caused the unrest. The protests showed deep frustration with the federal government, and asked for elected local bodies and protected tribal job quotas to dominate protesters’ demands. The government has asked the NGO’s FCRA certificate Wangchuk was linked with, further driving the stand-off.
Impact of the unrest and continuing demands
The blackout of internet services is seen as an attempt to control the spread of protest and information in real time, which is stated as a common strategy during the civil unrest in India. Protesters claim that the violence is synonymous with local anger over the neglect and not proper representation in national policies for the region.
The unrest in Leh after Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest shows the increasing tension between Ladakh’s demands for statehood and federal policies. The internet shutdowns and curfews are now leading to civilian frustrations.
