‘I can be killed in encounter for speaking against govt’:Sonam Wangchuk demands Amit Shah’s resignation over Leh violence

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk expressed apprehension on Thursday that he could be killed in an encounter for speaking out against the government. He also demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over the violence in Leh last year. Wangchuk made the statement at an event held on the first anniversary of the violence. Protests were held in Ladakh last year demanding statehood and protection under the Sixth Schedule. Wangchuk also demanded that the judicial inquiry report be made public. He warned that if the report was not released, an independent ‘People’s Tribunal’ would be formed to investigate the police firing. Wangchuk says he received death threats Wangchuk said he had received death threats. He said he was prepared to face any consequences if it helped awaken the country. Wangchuk held the Home Minister politically responsible for the deaths during last year’s movement. He said accountability for the incident must be established. He said, “From Ladakh today, I say that Amit Shah should resign. He must take responsibility for what happened in Ladakh.” Wangchuk alleged that the security forces had used automatic weapons, including AK-47s, against local youths. The same youths were later described as ‘anti-national’. Supported Rahul Gandhi’s statement Wangchuk backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for Amit Shah’s resignation over police action against students at Jantar Mantar. However, he questioned Rahul Gandhi’s silence on the situation in Ladakh. Wangchuk said, “Rahul Gandhi stood up and asked how such weapons could be used against students. He demanded Amit Shah’s resignation. I support this.” He said, “But if he had demanded Amit Shah’s resignation earlier, what about the incident in Ladakh? AK-47s were used here and people were killed. The bullets hit them in the head and chest.” He said that protesters were killed in firing from automatic weapons during last year’s demonstrations. Violence linked to Ladakh’s demands Wangchuk linked the violence to Ladakh’s long-standing demands. These also include the demand for constitutional safeguards. He alleged that assurances made to the people were not fulfilled later. He said ensuring justice for Ladakh was not just the responsibility of the people of the Union Territory. Wangchuk said it was the responsibility of the entire country. Markets remained closed in Leh and Kargil Leh and other parts of Ladakh observed a shutdown on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of last year’s violence on 24 September. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed in Leh and Kargil. Traffic on the roads remained low, and normal life was affected. Some people in Ladakh observed the day as ‘Martyrs’ Day’. Wangchuk alleged that fewer people attended Thursday’s memorial programme because of heavy security arrangements and restrictions. He said barricades had been put up everywhere. Armed personnel had been deployed in villages and along roads. However, Wangchuk said the low turnout should not be seen as a defeat for the movement. Ladakh Police say, ‘No one was stopped’ Ladakh Police described the allegations made by Wangchuk and local people as “false, baseless and misleading”. The police said no one was stopped from attending the prayer meeting organised to pay tribute to those killed in the 2025 violence. According to the police, the security deployment was part of the standard security protocol. The police said the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) had been granted permission to hold a public gathering at Leh’s NDS Ground, which has a capacity of 10,000 people. In a statement, the police said fewer than 800 people attended the event. The police did not stop anyone from going to the venue or attending the event. According to the police, the barricades placed across the city were only for traffic and crowd management. The arrangements were made because the organisers had earlier reported that a large number of people would attend. Wangchuk said: Chose India for democracy Wangchuk said Ladakh chose to remain with India because it trusted in the right to live with democracy and dignity. He alleged that the situation in Ladakh had created an atmosphere of fear. According to him, this was contrary to the democratic thinking that had led people to choose India. Wangchuk said the situation in the country was good from 2014 to 2019, when the BJP came to power. Wangchuk said, “On one side, Ladakh had China and on the other, India. We chose India because we believed there was democracy here and that we would be able to live with our heads held high.” ​