Blaming me for instigating Ladakh violence ‘scapegoat tactic’: Wangchuk

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday called the Home Ministry’s charge that he instigated the recent violent protests in Ladakh a “scapegoat tactic” intended to avoid dealing with the Himalayan region’s core problems.

Reacting to the MHA’s statement, which had blamed him for provoking the mob violence, Wangchuk said he is prepared to be arrested under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).

“To say it was instigated by me, or sometimes by the Congress, is to find a scapegoat, rather than addressing the core of the problem, and this will lead us nowhere.

“They may be clever in making somebody else a scapegoat, but they are not wise. At this time, we all need wisdom rather than ‘cleverness’ because youths are already frustrated,” Wangchuk said.

The activist, who has been leading the peaceful agitation for statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, also raised the alarm over his personal safety.

“I see they are building up a case to bring me under the Public Safety Act and throw me in jail for two years,” he said, adding, “I am ready for that, but Sonam Wangchuk in jail may cause them more problems than free Sonam Wangchuk.”

The statehood for Ladakh movement led by Wangchuk descended into violence, arson and street clashes in Leh on Wednesday, leaving four people dead and at least 80 injured, including 40 police personnel, officials said.

The activist attributed the eruption of anger to long-standing grievances, primarily the frustration among the region’s youth and reasoned that the real cause is the “frustration of six years of unemployment and unmet promises at every level”.

He accused the government of misleading the public by claiming success on partial job reservations, noting that the main demands for Statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule to protect Ladakh’s tribal status and fragile environment remain untouched after five years of peaceful appeals.

Wangchuk said that by employing the “scapegoat tactic”, the government is “not actually taking measures for peace”, but instead taking steps that will “further aggravate” the situation by diverting attention from the people’s core demands.

As the sun set on what is arguably the worst day of violence since 1989 in the cold desert region, Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, while authorities clamped curfew in the Leh district.

Earlier in the day, groups of youths, indulging in arson and vandalism, targeted the headquarters of BJP and Hill Council and set vehicles ablaze.

Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, the officials said.

In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said the hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10, pressing the demand for Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule and statehood.

The Centre alleged that the mob violence was guided by the “provocative statements” of activist Wangchuk, and certain “Politically motivated” individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups.

The ministry said, barring a few unfortunate incidents that happened early on Wednesday, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm and asked everyone not to circulate old and provocative videos in the media and social media.

“It is well known that the Government of India has been actively engaged with Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of high-powered committee (HPC) as well as sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders,” the statement issued on Wednesday said.

“However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC and have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process,” it said.

The next meeting of HPC has been scheduled on October 6, while meetings are also planned on September 25 and 26 with the leaders from Ladakh.

Terming the events as heart-wrenching, Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta had said everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened today was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy. “We will not spare those people who have spoiled the atmosphere here.”

Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent more casualties, he had said.