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A protestation planned for Monday (March 16, 2026) demanding law safeguards for Ladakh volition not beryllium called disconnected adjacent aft the release of clime activistic Sonam Wangchuk from detention, civilian nine groups successful the Union Territory, who are besides engaged successful dialog with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, said connected Saturday (March 14, 2026).
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the 2 groups representing the Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh, had announced the protestation connected March 10 to gully the Centre's attraction towards their demands – which see Statehood, inclusion nether the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (tribal status), a Member of Parliament each for Leh and Kargil, and filling of existing authorities vacancies. They said the meetings of the high-powered committee (HPC) had not led to immoderate result yet.
Also read: Sonam Wangchuk | Ladakh’s technologist of change
Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, co-convenor of the LAB and the president of the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association, told The Hindu that the merchandise of Mr. Wangchuk was 1 of respective issues being pursued and the protestation volition spell connected arsenic planned. “Sonam Wangchuk’s merchandise is 1 of the respective issues we person been pursuing. Our demands for law safeguards and improvement for the portion are yet to beryllium fulfilled. The protestation volition spell connected arsenic planned; determination are 2 different activists who stay successful jailhouse (since September 2025),” helium said.
Sajjad Kargili of the KDA said astir 1,000 radical are expected to converge successful Kargil connected Monday to protest. “The revocation of the NSA [National information Act] is simply a invited move. However, our conflict for our morganatic rights continues. We besides request the contiguous merchandise of Deldan Namgial (former Congress MLA) and Smanla Dorjey and entreaty that each charges against those detained connected September 24 beryllium dropped unconditionally,” Mr. Kargili said.
Also read: Ladakh leaders property for Statehood; talks with Home Ministry stay inconclusive
The HPC led by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, past met connected February 4, lone the 2nd clip since the September 24, 2025, unit successful Leh metropolis successful which 4 people, including a Kargil war-veteran, were killed successful constabulary firing and the talks remained inconclusive. MHA officials person lone offered safeguards disposable nether Article 371 of the Constitution and insisted connected strengthening the elevation councils. Article 371 deals with “Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions”, and exists successful 12 States.
On March 13, Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra and Police main Mukesh Singh announced a large recruitment thrust from April 15 to capable 365 constabulary constable vacancies and 35 vacancies astatine Sub-Inspectors fertile successful Ladakh police.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led authorities for the prolonged detention of Mr. Wangchuk.
Claiming that the Narendra Modi authorities present stood exposed, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nationalist convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the clip spent successful jailhouse by the clime activistic is simply a nonaccomplishment to the country. “The Modi authorities stands exposed erstwhile again. A idiosyncratic and clime activistic who had dedicated his beingness to the federation was arrested without immoderate evidence. The months helium spent successful jailhouse were not lone a idiosyncratic nonaccomplishment for him but besides a nonaccomplishment to the country. This sheer dictatorship indispensable beryllium called retired and stopped immediately,” helium said.
Samajwadi Party main Akhilesh Yadav said BJP archetypal offered Statehood to Ladakh and past backtracked. “He [Mr. Wangchuk] should not person been jailed astatine all. The BJP should person supported his protest, but they betrayed him,’ Mr. Yadav said.
Welcoming the determination to revoke Mr, Wangchuk’s detention, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “He should ne'er person been arrested”.
Congress person Jairam Ramesh said the Modi authorities should apologise to the radical of Ladakh for the “completely bogus” apprehension of Mr. Wangchuk. “The INC had condemned the apprehension of Sonam Wangchuk connected wholly bogus grounds six months back. Now the Modi authorities has done a full U-turn. It stands afloat exposed. It should apologise to not lone Mr. Wangchuk and his household but to the radical of Ladakh arsenic well. It should besides instantly merchandise each those who were detained for staging peaceful and antiauthoritarian protests,” Mr. Ramesh posted connected X.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot questioned the “convenient use” of laws specified arsenic the NSA. “The aforesaid individual, who conscionable a fewer months agone was branded a menace to nationalist information and thrown down bars, is present abruptly being released—meaning nary grounds was recovered against him. In specified a case, who volition relationship for the 170 days of his detention? ...Will the explanation of nationalist information present beryllium dictated by the BJP’s governmental gains and losses?”
Ladakh, earlier portion of Jammu and Kashmir, became a Union Territory successful 2019 pursuing the speechmaking down of Article 370 of the Constitution and the civilian nine groups person been demanding law safeguards since 2020.
