Leh:The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has squarely blamed environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk for inciting the mob violence in Leh on September 24 that claimed the lives of four civilians and left over 30 security personnel injured. The MHA accused Wangchuk of provoking unrest through inflammatory speeches during his hunger strike, which it said was misused to derail the dialogue process between Ladakh leaders and the Centre.
According to the MHA, the violence erupted when a mob, instigated by Wangchuk’s speech, left the hunger strike venue and attacked government offices, a political party office and security personnel in Leh. The attackers torched vehicles, set buildings ablaze and injured more than 30 police and CRPF personnel. Police, the ministry said, were forced to open fire in self-defence, leading to civilian casualties.
“The mob was incited by Shri Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation,” the statement from MHA as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust said.
The MHA alleged that Wangchuk misled the public by making provocative references to Arab Spring-style protests and Gen Z demonstrations in Nepal. Despite repeated appeals from leaders urging him to end his hunger strike, the activist continued with it, further inflaming tensions, the ministry noted.
The government also defended its handling of Ladakh’s political demands, pointing to “phenomenal results” from the High-Powered Committee (HPC) dialogue process. It cited the increase in reservations for Scheduled Tribe communities from 45 to 84 percent, one-third women’s reservation in local councils, declaration of Bhoti and Purgi as official languages, and initiation of recruitment for 1,800 posts as key achievements.
“The demands on which Mr. Wangchuk was on hunger strike are already part of the HPC’s agenda,” the ministry said, accusing “certain politically motivated individuals” of attempting to sabotage the dialogue process.
The MHA stressed that despite the unfortunate incidents of September 24, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm that day. It reiterated the government’s commitment to provide adequate constitutional safeguards to Ladakh and announced that the next HPC meeting would be held on October 6, with preparatory meetings having taken place on September 25 and 26 with local leaders.
At the same time, the ministry appealed to the public not to circulate old or provocative videos on social media, warning that such content could worsen tensions.
The blame placed directly on Wangchuk by the Centre marks a significant escalation in the standoff between the activist and the administration. While Wangchuk has been demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh, the MHA’s statement paints him as the key instigator of violence that led to loss of lives and widespread property damage. [KNT]
