Activists from Himalayan States Condemn Wangchuk's Arrest, Demand Statehood and Constitutional Inclusion

PTI, NEW DELHI, OCT 4, 2025 :  Activists from the Himalayan states have condemned the arrest of 'education reformer' Sonam Wangchuk, demanding his immediate release and extending support to his demand for statehood and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. At a press conference held here by People for Himalaya, a collective campaign addressing climate disasters, the activists also warned of a "larger crisis unfolding across the Himalayan region."

Sajjad Kargili from the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), Ladakh; Atul Sati of the Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, Uttarakhand; Manshi Asher of the Himdhara Collective; and Anmol Ohri of the Climate Front Jammu were among those who addressed the press conference.

The activists termed Wangchuk's arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) as an assault on democratic rights and freedom of dissent. They asserted that such acts were a blatant attempt to silence the voices of the people of Ladakh, who have been raising legitimate concerns about their constitutional rights, livelihood, and environment.

The organisation also condemned the violent attack on "peaceful protesters" in Leh, Ladakh, on September 24, which resulted in the deaths of four people and left over 80 injured, 15 of whom are in critical condition. It alleged that "excessive force" was used when police opened fire, describing it as an act of brutality against unarmed citizens. The activists demanded accountability at the highest level and called for a high-level judicial inquiry into the violence, the resignation of Lieutenant Governor Kavindwer Gupta, and Director General of Police S D Singh Jamwal. They also called for the immediate release of Wangchuk and all arrested leaders and the withdrawal of all charges against them.

Manshi Asher alleged that attempts were being made to "defame" the movement for the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule and its statehood. She emphasized that unemployment is a major issue affecting the Himalayan states.

"The issue of unemployment is impacting the whole of the Himalayas. In Uttarakhand as well, youth are unhappy due to unemployment. It is an issue of livelihood that has to be linked with democracy and climate change," she said.

In a statement issued at the press conference, the activists warned of a larger crisis unfolding across the Himalayan region. They stated that recent calamities in the Himalayan states cannot be dismissed as mere natural disasters. Instead, they represent the compounded impact of climate change interacting with poor governance, the activists argued.

"The monsoons of 2025 once again laid bare the vulnerability of the mountains, with devastating floods and landslides reported from Uttarkashi, Mandi, Kishtwar, Joshimath, Dharali, Siang, Ladakh, and Sikkim," the statement said. The activists stressed that these events cannot be dismissed simply as natural and climate disasters. "Rather, they represent the compounded impact of climate change interacting with poor governance and policy-making centered on reckless models of extractive development, leading to the form of rapid and massive commercial tourism, unregulated infrastructure expansion, and deforestation," the statement added.

Atul Sati highlighted how human interference in development activities is triggering these calamities. "We are seeing that development activities are triggering these disasters," he said. "Like the four-lane highway in Himachal Pradesh or the all-weather road in Uttarakhand... there were 45 landslides on the Char Dham road last year; this year it was more than 100 on that road."

Sati also pointed out that the current model of development is proving dangerous for the Himalayas. "We are appealing that this one model of development should be stopped immediately. The bulldozer of development in the Himalayas should be stopped, else you cannot stop the crisis," he said.

The People for Himalaya campaign was launched in 2024 after the disasters in Himachal Pradesh, Joshimath, and Sikkim to advocate for pan-Himalayan awareness.