Leaders reject ‘pre-planned’ protest claim, urge focus on UT’s real issues

With the Ladakh administration suggesting that the violent protests in Leh were “pre-planned”, and Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta alleging a “foreign conspiracy” behind the unrest, political leaders from both Kashmir and Ladakh have urged for caution—stressing the need to address the genuine concerns of the people rather than dismissing them as externally driven.

The protests, which turned violent on Wednesday, resulted in four deaths and nearly 100 injuries, as demonstrators took to the streets demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh. The Ministry of Home Affairs accused environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk of inciting the crowd through “provocative statements,” while L-G Gupta suggested a foreign hand was behind the incident.

However, leaders across the region have strongly rejected these claims. Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan Mohammad dismissed allegations that the protests were orchestrated. Speaking to The Tribune, he said the violence was a result of years of pent-up frustration among the people.

“There was nothing pre-planned. People in Ladakh have been worried and angry for years. That frustration spilled out,” he said.

He also defended Sonam Wangchuk, calling the accusations against him unfounded and politically motivated. “Sonam Wangchuk is being targeted because of his support for the statehood movement. He has always advocated peace. His voice carries weight nationally and internationally, and there’s a clear attempt to silence him. But as long as Ladakh supports him, his voice won’t be silenced,” he added. “That said, no one is endorsing the stone-pelting that happened on Wednesday.”

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah held the Central government responsible for the unrest. “The leaders in Delhi are to blame. For five years, the people of Ladakh waited, hoping the Centre would respond to their demands. But nothing was done. What do you expect young people to do?” Abdullah asked.

He warned that the situation in Ladakh is strategically dangerous given China’s proximity and involvement in the region. “China is sitting right there. This kind of unrest is dangerous for the country. Please resolve this through dialogue before it escalates again. Don’t blame foreign elements—this is not coming from outside. This is the voice of the people, the voice of their hearts. Learn from this before it’s too late.”

Chering Dorjey Lakrook, President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, also rejected the foreign hand theory. “The anger has been building for months. The administration now needs to decide what actually happened—was it a foreign conspiracy or a political plot? It can’t be both,” he said. “Instead of spreading such narratives, the focus should be on addressing the demands of the people.”

Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that the unrest in Ladakh is the result of unfulfilled promises made to the people. “These unfortunate events are the consequences of broken promises. I hope the government honours its commitments and ensures lives are protected,” he said.