LEH: Hours after violent clashes and police firing erupted in Leh on Wednesday, the Centre stated that the unrest was fueled by a mob incited through provocative statements made by activist Sonam Wangchuk. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) indicated that certain politically motivated individuals, unhappy with the progress of ongoing talks between government representatives and Ladakh groups, sought to sabotage the dialogue process.
In an official statement, the MHA also urged the public not to circulate old or inflammatory videos, emphasizing that the government remained committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Ladakh while providing adequate constitutional safeguards.
Lt Governor Blames ‘Vested Interests’
In Leh, Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta attributed the violence to vested interests seeking to destabilize the region, promising that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
“A curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure. Tragically, people have lost their lives, and I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. All necessary measures will be taken to prevent further casualties,” Gupta said while addressing the public.
He described the day’s incidents as heart-wrenching and insisted that the violence was not spontaneous, but the result of a conspiracy. “We will not spare those responsible for spoiling the atmosphere here,” he added.
Gupta noted that a hunger strike had been ongoing in Ladakh for several days, which is part of democratic expression. However, he stressed that recent incitement, comparing the situation in Ladakh to uprisings in Nepal and Bangladesh, led to calls for setting fires and harming people, which he described as anti-democratic.
MHA Statement on the Events
According to the MHA, Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on September 10, demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.
“It is well-known that the Government of India has been actively engaging with the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on these issues. Multiple formal and informal meetings have been held through the High-Powered Committee (HPC) and its sub-committee, yielding significant progress,” the MHA stated.
The government highlighted that the dialogue process had already achieved major milestones, including:
- Increasing reservation for Ladakh’s Scheduled Tribes from 45% to 84%
- Providing one-third reservations for women in local councils
- Declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages
- Initiating the recruitment process for 1,800 posts
Provocation and Violence
The MHA noted that despite these achievements, certain politically motivated individuals were dissatisfied with the progress and allegedly sought to sabotage the dialogue process. The next HPC meeting was scheduled for October 6, with additional consultations with Ladakh leaders planned for September 25 and 26.
The statement accused Wangchuk of misleading people through provocative references, including comparisons to the Arab Spring and youth-led protests in Nepal. On September 24, around 11:30 a.m., a mob, allegedly instigated by his speeches, left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office and the government office of the CEC in Leh.
During the attack:
- The mob set government offices on fire
- Torched a police vehicle
- Assaulted security personnel, injuring over 30 police and CRPF personnel
- Continued to destroy public property
Police were reportedly forced to resort to firing in self-defense, which unfortunately resulted in casualties. The MHA stated that the situation was brought under control by 4 p.m.
Wangchuk Breaks Fast Amidst Chaos
The MHA also pointed out that, amid the violent developments, Wangchuk broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance, allegedly without making any serious effort to control the situation.
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