Ladakh Protest: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on hunger strike, demands for 6th schedule

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk along with members of Ladakh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance continue their 21-day fast demanding safeguards to Ladakh under the sixth schedule of the Constitution and statehood from the Centre.

Wangchuk’s protest began on March 6 from Leh, Ladakh, where he addressed a gathering of hundreds of people at 3,500 metres above the sea level, announcing that his protest will take place in stages of 21 days each, reported the Indian Express.

“Twenty-one days – because this is the longest fast that Mahatma Gandhi kept during the Independence struggle, and I want to follow the Mahatma’s path where we inflict pain on ourselves so our government and policymakers notice our pain and act in time,” the activist was quoted by The Indian Express.

Wangchuk is at the center-stage of the ongoing Ladakh movement to demand statehood for Ladakh and a tribal status under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which allows the formation of autonomous administrative divisions called Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).

These councils have some legislative, judicial and administrative autonomy within a state and can make laws on important things like land, forests, water and mining. The status is crucial as 97 per cent of the region’s population is tribal. 

Currently, ADCs applies to the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram (three Councils each), and Tripura (one Council).

On Tuesday, Wangchuk, also announced a border march of 10,000 Ladakhis to "expose" the extent of Chinese intrusions and takeover of land by Indian corporates, touching a raw nerve of the BJP ahead of the parliamentary polls, reported The Telegraph.

He said that the "border march" will take place on March 27 if his health condition remains stable, a day after he ends his fast. If he falls sick, he will start the march 10 days later.

Wangchuk also underlined that Ladakh was losing prime pastureland “left, right and centre” to Indian industrialists on one hand and the Chinese army on the other, necessitating protection of the “fragile land, culture and people” of the region, the report said.

The recent talks between the Centre and a sub-committee of the leaders from Ladakh failed.  A high-powered committee (HPC) headed by Union minister Nityanand Rai had constituted a sub-committee to discuss the demands of 6th schedule, statehood and allied issues, reported Hindustan Times.

The sub-committee had Buddhist spiritual leader and former BJP MP, Thupstan Chhewang, Chhering Dorje alias Lakrook and Nawang Rigzin Jora, all from Leh Apex Body (LAB), Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Hussain alias Sajjad Kargili from Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), it said.