Sonam Wangchuk ends hunger strike as protest plea withdrawn amid talks with Government

Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk concluded his 16-day hunger strike on Monday, 21^st October, expressing gratitude to supporters as the Ministry of Home Affairs announced its decision to resume dialogue with Ladakhi activists. “I thank the people of the country who supported this,” Wangchuk said after ending his fast, signaling hope for continued positive discussions with the government.

The hunger strike, which was staged to bring attention to the demands for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, coincided with a legal plea seeking permission for Wangchuk and others to hold a peaceful protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The petition, filed by Apex Body Leh, was withdrawn from the Delhi High Court on Tuesday after the government’s engagement with the activists.

During a hearing before a Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta confirmed that Wangchuk had ended his protest. “This happened yesterday late night, we were prepared to file a reply,” Mehta told the court, suggesting the petition was no longer necessary. The petitioners’ counsel confirmed this development.

Wangchuk and fellow protesters had started their journey from Leh on 1^st September, aiming to raise awareness about the “ecological and cultural collapse” in Ladakh. Their primary demand has been for the region’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, which would grant the Union Territory autonomous administration to protect the rights and identity of the local population. Currently, the Sixth Schedule is only applicable to tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

However, upon reaching the outskirts of Delhi on 30^th September, Wangchuk and his group were initially detained at the Singhu Border before being released. They had planned to hold their protest at Jantar Mantar from 8^th October to 23^rd October, but the Delhi Police denied their request on 5^th October, prompting the body to challenge the decision in court.

The withdrawn plea argued that the denial of permission violated the fundamental rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. “Delhi Police could have exercised their discretion to grant permission for the anshan at an alternative location, rather than outright denying the request, which directly contravenes the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India,” the petition had contended.

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