Ladakh Activist Sonam Wangchuk Released After 6 Months

New Delhi, March 19 - Prominent Ladakh activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur Central Jail on Saturday after nearly six months in detention under the National Security Act, prompting him to call for meaningful dialogue with the central government to address long-standing demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards for the region.

Wangchuk, 59, had been arrested on September 26, 2023, two days after clashes between protesters and security forces in Leh resulted in four deaths and several injuries. The protests stemmed from demands by local groups for Ladakh's inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides protections for tribal areas including land rights and limited autonomy, as well as full statehood. These issues have persisted since Ladakh was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and made a Union Territory in 2019, leading to rallies, shutdowns, and negotiations with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Addressing reporters at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday alongside his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, who filed a habeas corpus petition challenging the detention as illegal, Wangchuk described his release as an opportunity...