Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, has sent a message to the people conveying that he is ‘’doing well both physically and mentally” and reaffirming his resolve to continue the struggle for Ladakh’s constitutional rights through peaceful means.
He called for an independent judicial inquiry into the deaths in the recent violent protests in Ladakh and said he was ready to remain in jail until such an inquiry is ordered.
In a statement conveyed by his lawyer Mustafa Haji and elder brother Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley, who met him in the jail yesterday, Wangchuk said he was “doing well both physically and mentally” and expressed gratitude for the concern and prayers pouring in from across the country.
Appealing to the people of Ladakh to maintain calm, he urged them to “keep peace and unity and continue the struggle peacefully — in the true Gandhian way of non-violence.”
“I stand firmly with the Apex Body, the KDA, and the people of Ladakh in our genuine constitutional demand for Sixth Schedule and Statehood,” Wangchuk said. “Whatever actions the Apex Body takes in the interest of Ladakh, I am with them wholeheartedly.”
Expressing grief over recent incidents, Wangchuk offered condolences to the families of those killed and extended prayers for the injured and arrested.
Wangchuk was detained last week under the National Security Act (NSA) after violent protests that left four people dead and over 100 injured. The protestors demanded constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, including protection of land, environment, and employment under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The administration in Ladakh has accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence. (Agenciese)
