On hunger strike, Wangchuk urges govt to understand Ladakh’s language of peace
Srinagar, March 16
On the tenth day of his climate fast, Ladakhi innovator Sonam Wangchuk today expressed his concerns, stating that the government appears indifferent to the peaceful protest in Ladakh. However, he said the Ladakh will continue its peaceful language to make the government understand its demands.
Wangchuk shared an anecdote from his recent visit to the North East, where, according to him a lawyer asked him about how many languages are in India. “Contrary to the commonly known 22 languages, the lawyer said that there’s a 23rd language— the language of the gun and this is only language the government understands.”
“The lawyer mentioned that all agreements in the northeast have ensued only after armed struggle, whether with Mizo, Nagas, Tripura, or Bodos. It saddened me to hear this. However, it made me realise that Ladakh must demonstrate its unique 24th language—the language of peace. Here, we endure pain ourselves without inflicting it upon others. It’s imperative for the government to recognise that India comprehends this language of peace, which Ladakh has embraced,” said Wangchuk.
“This is the 10th day of our climate fast under the open sky. The temperatures this morning was minus 5 with wind chill effect and under these circumstances I along with some 110 people am fasting indefinitely to remind the government and the ruling party of the promises they made to the people of Ladakh in 2019 and 2020 to safeguard this fragile ecological region and the unique indigenous tribal cultures under the Sixth schedule of the Constitution,” Wangchuk said.
He said in 2019, the government not only assured but kept this in the topmost agenda of their election manifesto in the Parliamentary elections and later the hill council elections. “But there was a deafening silence for months and then it became a crime to even remind them of the promises and finally after four years at the end of their term on March 4, 2024, they declined to keep their promises,” he added.
He said the government did not disclose the reason for changing its mind but people here feel that it is perhaps under the pressure of industrial and mining lobbies that are pressuring the government to keep these region unprotected so that they can exploit the mountains for rich minerals.
“We must understand that Ladakh is on the Tibetan plateau and entire Himalayas come in sensitive zone. After the South and the North Pole, this is called the third pole and has the largest reservoir of fresh water that feeds roughly 2 billion people, which is about 25% of the planet’s population. It is sad to see the government care only about profits of their industrialist friends. They don’t think about future generations,” said Wangchuk.
Unique protest
We endure pain ourselves without inflicting it upon others. It’s imperative for the government to recognise that India comprehends this language of peace, which Ladakh has embraced. — Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh innovator
