Hold fast on March 17, Wangchuk urges people
Expressing regrets over alleged nonchalant attitude of the Centre to Ladakh’s demand for sixth schedule and statehood, noted environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday urged the people of the country to observe one day fast on March 17 to extend support to the people of Ladakh.
On ninth day of his fast unto death, Wangchuk took to ‘X’ and expressed his resentment against the BJP government at the Centre. In 3.42-minute-long video, he said, “On 9th day of climate fast today, around 90 people from various villages are on fast without food. They are here to remind the government of promises they made to the people of Ladakh”. “In sub-zero temperatures so many people have been hungry for the past nine days to remind the government of its promise,” he added. He again slammed the mainstream media for not covering the climate fast.
“Though mainstream media has blacked out our protest, I hope that our voice reaches our leaders. Till date my updates were in Hindi because I didn’t want country’s internal matter to reach out to foreign countries and in turn our leaders get humiliated at the international level,” he said. He said that had he intended to do so then he had many networks and supporters abroad, like Magsaysay award foundation in Asia, Rolex award foundation in Europe, Noble peace prize foundation and several other foundations in Japan, US and South America.
“We have not reached out to them so far for help but now we have thought that after so many days of climate fast and no reaction by the government, we would come up with updates in English from Friday morning. It would help people at the international level to know about what’s happening in Ladakh,” he added. “We urge the people that they also come up with networks in India like ‘friends of Ladakh’ and ‘friends of nature’ and this Sunday they hold a one day fast collectively in their villages, cities and towns in support of our struggle,” he added. Wangchuk said on March 24, on 19th day of his fast, he may urge people in capital cities of various countries to hold one-day fast in support of Ladakh’s demands.
The people of Ladakh have been demanding safeguards to Ladakh under the sixth schedule of the Constitution and statehood from the Centre.
The talks between the Centre and a sub-committee of the leaders from Ladakh recently failed.
Going by the undercurrent, the region, which has one Lok Sabha seat, may also witness a boycott of the ensuing general elections by the people, who are seething in anger over what they called, “betrayal” by the BJP government. A high-powered committee headed by Union minister Nityanand Rai had constituted a sub-committee to discuss the demands of 6th schedule, statehood and allied issues. The subcommittee had Buddhist spiritual leader and former BJP MP, Thupstan Chhewang, Chhering Dorje alias Lakrook and Nawang Rigzin Jora, all from Leh Apex Body, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Hussain alias Sajjad Kargili from Kargil Democratic Alliance.
ON 9TH DAY OF HIS FAST UNTO DEATH, WANGCHUK TOOK TO ‘X’ AND EXPRESSED HIS RESENTMENT AGAINST THE CENTRAL GOVT