‘Blot On Democracy’: Activist Sonam Wangchuk after several protesters detained outside Ladakh Bhawan

Delhi Police on Sunday detained several people outside Ladakh Bhawan, where climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been leading an indefinite hunger strike since October 6 to press for her demand to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

According to one of the protesters, the detainees were taken to the Mandir Marg police station.

Earlier, police said that Sonam Wangchuk was among those detained, but later the New Delhi DCP clarified that the climate activist was not among those detained.

“We detained some students from outside Ladhak Bhawan. Sonam Wangchuk is not among them,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk said in a video message that the Delhi Police detained several of his supporters, while questioning why Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits unauthorized gatherings, is permanently enforced in New Delhi. “Many people came here today to observe a silent protest. It is very sad that they were detained by the Delhi Police. It’s sad because in the largest democracy in the world we can’t even hold a silent protest,” Wangchuk said in the message.

“We have been informed that Section 163 has been enforced… It is sad that the mother of democracy has such a restriction imposed all year round. This section is generally applied temporarily only when there is a chance that law and order will be disturbed,” Wangchuk added.

“This is a stain on our democracy and the courts should also take notice of this… How can such sections be imposed permanently?” he asked.

Award-winning climate activist Ramon Magsaysay also shared videos of people being detained on Instagram.

Stating that the protesters were not allowed to sit outside the Ladakh Bhawan, where Section 163 of the BNSS is in force, a senior police official said, “They have submitted an application to hold protests at Jantar Mantar. Its application is under study. They are not allowed to protest on any other site. We have detained some people, who will be released soon.” Wangchuk and his supporters who marched from Leh to Delhi were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border on September 30 before being released on October 2.

The group demands a meeting with the top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to press for their demands.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution includes provisions for the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in northeast India. It also establishes autonomous councils that have legislative, judicial, executive and financial powers to independently govern these areas.

The march to Delhi was organized by the Leh Apex Body which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been leading an agitation for the last four years seeking statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, a commission of civil service for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published in a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)