‘Complete silence’ on request by Ladakh leaders to meet Wangchuk: Kargili

There has been “complete silence” on an application by leaders from Ladakh seeking permission to meet activist Sonam Wangchuk, KDA member Sajjad Kargili said on Friday.

In a post on X, he said leaders from the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), including Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa, have been seeking permission to meet Wangchuk and said the “deliberate indifference” is unacceptable.

“It has been over 20 days since we few members of KDA and the Apex Body, including the Hon’ble MP from Ladakh, have formally submitted a request seeking permission to meet Sonam Wangchuk, yet there has been complete silence from the authorities,” said Kargili, who is among the members holding talks with the Centre over demands of Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh.

“This deliberate indifference is unacceptable and reflects a deeply disturbing state of affairs,” he added.

Wangchuk, a Magsaysay Award-winning activist and educator, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory.

He remains in solitary confinement and has spent more than 110 days in jail.

The High Powered Committee (HPC) on the Union Territory of Ladakh will hold its next meeting on February 4.