‘Sad for democracy’: Sonam Wangchuk after Delhi police arrest silent protesters | Latest News India

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday attacked the Center and Delhi Police for detaining protesters gathered outside Ladakh Bhawan to take part in a silent fast, saying: “It is sad that people cannot express themselves in a democracy.”

According to news agency ANI, authorities justified their actions by citing the application of Section 144, which restricts gatherings in certain areas to maintain public order.

“This morning we were about to begin a silent fast outside the Ladakh Bhawan in New Delhi. Many people were gathering here to take part in this, we said we would not raise any slogans and would just observe a silent fast, but people were forcibly removed, put into police buses and detained,” Wangchuk told ANI.

Also read | Protests in Ladakh over detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk by Delhi Police

“We were told that this happened because Section 144 was enacted here. This was sad, not only for us, but also for democracy.

Wangchuk said that in a democratic nation, “the inability to express oneself violates fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and movement.”

“In this democratic country, if people are unable to express themselves, it is a violation of their freedom of expression, freedom of movement, Article 19. Normally, Article 144 is temporary in nature and is applied only on reasonable grounds of fear of disruption,” he said.

Here are the latest updates on Sonam Wangchuk’s protest

– Earlier, the Delhi High Court sought responses from the Delhi Police, NCT Delhi Government and other parties in connection with a plea by Apex Body Leh seeking permission for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others to hold a peaceful protest in Jantar Mantar from October 8th to 23rd.

– Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Amit Sharma ordered the parties to submit their responses by October 16, with a detailed hearing scheduled for October 22.

– Wangchuk launched an indefinite hunger strike on October 6 to demand statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which would provide constitutional safeguards for the region.

– Delhi Police detained several protesters on the outskirts of Ladakh Bhawan, where Wangchuk was on a hunger strike, while the New Delhi DCP clarified that Wangchuk was not among those detained.

– A senior police official said that the detained protesters were not allowed to gather outside Ladakh Bhawan and that their request to protest at Jantar Mantar is still being considered.

– Wangchuk and his supporters were earlier detained by the Delhi Police at the Singhu border on September 30 before being released on October 2.

– Apex Body Leh approached the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking permission for Sonam Wangchuk and other ‘Padyatris’ to conduct a peaceful protest (Anshan) at Jantar Mantar or other appropriate location. The petition argues that this right is guaranteed by Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Indian Constitution, which safeguard freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

– Wangchuk and his supporters push for constitutional protections for Ladakh, aiming for its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.

They believe this inclusion would empower the local community to safeguard their land and cultural identity, a demand supported by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).

(With information from ANI, PTI)