New Delhi: Speaking to the press on the evening of Friday (October 4) at Ladakh Bhavan, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said that he and his supporters would have to resort to an ashan or hunger strike once again if they are not given an audience with top leaders – the prime minister, president or home minister – as promised, The Statesman reported.
Wangchuk and members of the Climate March had been on a nearly 48-hour fast after they were detained at police stations and other locations across Delhi by police on the night of September 30, after they were brought from the Singhu border.
They were on a ‘Climate March’ – a 1,000 km-walk from Leh to Delhi – to present their demands to the Union government, which included the implementation of the sixth schedule in Ladakh. This would ensure that locals can also be part of governance, and that developmental projects are mindful of the fragile ecosystem and environment of Ladakh, which is already facing the impacts of climate change.
Wangchuk and the others called off their fasts on the night of October 2 after the Delhi police brought them to Rajghat.
On Friday, the Delhi high court disposed of a petition saying that the Delhi police was still restricting Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s movements. A news report on October 3 had suggested that Wangchuk, who is currently lodged at Ladakh Bhavan, was not permitted to leave Ladakh Bhavan on Thursday evening by police stationed there.
His movements, therefore, are still restricted, the news report had said.
Will resort to fast again if required
Wangchuk and participants of the Climate March would have to resort to another ashan if they are not given an audience with top leaders as promised, he told the media on Friday evening at Ladakh Bhavan.
The Union government had promised that they would be given an audience with the prime minister, president or home minister so as to make their demands in person, Wangchuk had told the media on the night of October 2 at Rajghat where he was allegedly ‘released’ by the Delhi police.
The Statesman reported that Wangchuk, who was restricted from meeting anyone during his stay at Ladakh Bhavan for the last two days and was finally permitted to interact with the media on Friday night, added that his recent detention by the Delhi police was a “last-minute decision”, and that it inadvertently helped amplify his message. He said they were informed of the prohibitory orders only upon their arrival in Delhi.
“We were told we could either return to Ladakh or face detention. I’ve never encountered a system where passengers on a bus are told they’re prohibited from proceeding. It felt like jungle law,” The Statesman quoted Wangchuk as saying.
Per the news report, he also strongly opposed the government’s plan to establish a huge solar project in Ladakh’s Changthang region, saying it would displace the pashmina herders of these high-altitude grasslands, thereby jeopardising their livelihood and survival.
Scroll had recently reported that the Changpa tribe – who eke out a livelihood in the Changthang by grazing indigenous goats that produce the much sought-after and high-quality pashmina wool – have raised serious concerns regarding the 13-gigawatt integrated renewable energy project, as it could result in huge tracts of grasslands being fenced off.
HC dismisses petition saying Wangchuk ‘unrestricted’
At Rajghat on the night of October 2, Wangchuk – who was brought by the Delhi police there along with his Climate Marchers – told the media that he had submitted a memorandum to the Union government listing their demands.
HELLO! LONG TIME NO POST…
As I didn’t have phone access during detention.
Thank you all for your tremendous support.
We broke our fast based on the assurance from MHA that a meeting WITH India’s topmost leaders will happen in the next few days.
Here’s the memorandum we… pic.twitter.com/9pWZQ1cfNn— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) October 3, 2024
However, since then, there have been allegations that despite ending their protest (which consisted of the Climate Marchers’ silent padyatra from Leh and their arrival at Rajghat, and indefinite fasts that they began in protest of their detentions on the night of September 30), the Delhi police was still detaining many people.
On Thursday morning, Sajjid Kargili of the Kargil Democratic Alliance in Ladakh, who was also among the detainees, said that it was “very unfortunate” that 76 people at Imamia Hall and some at Wazirabad were still being detained and not being permitted to leave.
It is very unfortunate that 76 people at Imamia Hall, and similarly people from #Leh are also being detained at Wazirabad and not allowed to leave.
Despite ending our protest yesterday evening, we are still being restricted from moving freely. Is this not an injustice ?… pic.twitter.com/xMCR57no5X
— 𝐒𝐚𝐣𝐣𝐚𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢 | سجاد کرگلی (@SajjadKargili_) October 3, 2024
On Thursday, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Delhi police, told the Delhi high court that the prohibitory order imposed on September 30 that banned the assembly of more than five people in the national capital had been withdrawn and that the police had released all detainees including Wangchuk.
However, a news report by The Hindu on Thursday suggested that Wangchuk, who is currently lodged at Ladakh Bhavan, was still ‘under observation’ there. It said that on Thursday evening, he was not permitted to leave Ladakh Bhavan as police in plainclothes stationed there stopped him. His movements, therefore, are “still restricted”, the news report said, even though he is permitted to move around within the heavily-guarded Ladakh Bhavan.
On Friday, advocate Rajneesh Kumar Sharma – who was also part of the Climate March – initiated a petition of habeas corpus (which necessitates that a court should ensure that any person who is being detained is produced before it so that the legality of that person’s detention can be assessed) at the Delhi high court.
The petition, represented by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, challenged the detentions, asserting that the Ladakhis’ release had not been properly communicated, as per a report by LawTrend. Bhushan said that despite claims by Mehta on Thursday in court that the detainees had been released, restrictions on their movements were lifted only on Friday morning.
However, the high court disposed of the petition. Per the LawTrend report, Delhi’s chief justice said that Wangchuk’s interview on television the previous night suggested that the activist was “unrestricted”.
