Assam citizens' group condemns Sonam Wangchuk NSA arrest, seeks immediate release

Guwahati: The Assam Nagarik Sanmilan, a citizens' collective of Assam, has strongly condemned the detention of renowned educator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA) and is demanding his immediate release.

The collective's outrage follows Wangchuk's peaceful fast for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, a movement the Sanmilan denounces the government's "high-handed actions" against him.

A press release, signed by prominent figures including Hiren Gohain, Harekrishna Deka, Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Paresh Malakar, Abdul Mannan and Santanu Borthakur, labeled Wangchuk a "national treasure" and criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, stating its actions reveal a "troubling disregard for the aspirations of people in India’s peripheral regions."

Wangchuk, a tireless advocate for Ladakh's autonomy, had initially welcomed the 2019 revocation of Article 370, which made Ladakh a Union Territory. This welcome was based on the BJP's repeated promises, first in their 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto and later during the 2020 local elections, to include Ladakh under the protective umbrella of the Sixth Schedule.

However, with those promises unfulfilled, Wangchuk, representing the joint demands of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, undertook several hunger strikes to press a five-point agenda.

These key demands include: Implementation of the Sixth Schedule to safeguard Ladakh's land and culture; Granting full statehood to provide local legislative authority; Establishing separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil; Creating a Public Service Commission to ensure local youth employment; and Safeguarding Ladakh’s environment and cultural heritage.

From September 10 to September 24, Wangchuk and his supporters staged a peaceful fast to highlight these demands.

The Assam Nagarik Sanmilan acknowledged that a lack of government response "frustrated some protesters," leading to an "outbreak of violence on September 24." Wangchuk, however, swiftly withdrew the protest, publicly condemned the violence, and cautioned that such actions would undermine the movement’s goals.

Despite his commitment to non-violence and the immediate withdrawal of the protest, the government proceeded to arrest Wangchuk under the stringent NSA, leveling what the Sanmilan describes as "baseless charges."

The collective concluded its condemnation with a pointed warning: "The sooner we realise this is better for us," underscoring their belief that the government's actions threaten democratic expression across the country.