Ladakh protest live updates: Sonam Wangchuk condemned the youths’ actions but said the unrest stemmed from their “venting of frustration” over unemployment. Calling off his hunger strike, he said that years of peaceful protests without results had built up anger, indirectly fuelling the violence.
Ladakh protest live updates: The agitation for Ladakh’s statehood spiralled into violence, arson and street clashes in Leh on Wednesday, leaving four dead and at least 80 injured, including 40 police personnel, according to officials. The unrest broke out during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which has been spearheading a five-year campaign seeking statehood for Ladakh. Protesters torched a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, a police vehicle, and several private cars.
The Union home ministry later announced that the situation had been brought under control and that no further violence had occurred after 4 pm.
In its statement, the ministry appealed to the public not to circulate old or inflammatory videos through the media or social media platforms.
“Except for the regrettable incidents earlier in the day, the situation in Ladakh was brought under control by 4 pm,” the ministry noted, adding that the central government remains committed to meeting the aspirations of Ladakh’s people by ensuring appropriate constitutional safeguards.
Officials said police and paramilitary forces, deployed in large numbers across the town, used tear gas shells to disperse crowds and restore order.
Residents of Ladakh have also been pressing for inclusion of the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which covers provisions for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram under Articles 244(2) and 275(1).
In August 2019, the BJP-led government revoked Article 370 and divided the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
What did Sonam Wangchuk say?
Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday brought an end to his 15-day hunger strike following the outbreak of clashes in Leh over demands for statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.
At a press conference, Wangchuk explained that he had decided to suspend his fast as a precautionary step to help stabilise the situation, fearing that his protest might further inflame tensions in Leh.
He condemned the violence and urged calm across the region. Wangchuk also clarified that no political party was behind the agitation, stating that he did not believe any party had the strength to mobilise the youth there.
Previously, Wangchuk, who has been a leading figure in the campaign, had called for peace, telling young people to “stop this nonsense” as such unrest only “damages their cause”.
Posting a video on X, he wrote: “Very sad by the events in Leh. My message of the peaceful path failed today. I appeal to the youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause.”
In the video, Wangchuk implored young people to reject violence, stressing that such actions undermined his efforts to secure Ladakh’s rights. He pointed out that widespread anger had been triggered by an incident in which two people were admitted to hospital.
Centre’s response
The Centre on Wednesday claimed that the violence in Ladakh was fuelled by the “provocative statements” of activist Sonam Wangchuk, while also suggesting that certain “politically motivated” figures were dissatisfied with the progress of ongoing discussions between government representatives and Ladakhi groups.
In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said that aside from a few regrettable incidents earlier in the day, the situation had been brought under control by 4 pm. It further urged people not to share old or inflammatory videos through the media or on social media platforms.
Political reactions
- Opposition parties on Wednesday stressed that the matter must be dealt with sensitivity, calling for a careful on-the-ground assessment to understand both the causes of the unrest and those driving it.
- Left parties strongly criticised the Centre on Wednesday as violence broke out in Leh. The CPI(M) accused the ruling BJP of betraying the people of the region, while the CPI(ML) Liberation said the Union government was “solely responsible” for the crisis. In its statement, the CPI(ML) Liberation argued that the call for statehood has been rising both in Ladakh and in Jammu and Kashmir, yet the Centre has ignored these demands. “The (Narendra) Modi government is solely responsible for this entire situation, having trampled the Constitution, dismantled federalism and denied the people their democratic rights in order to tighten its authoritarian grip over the region,” the party declared.
- Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the developments in Leh should serve as a warning about how people in Jammu and Kashmir view the denial of statehood, pointing out that Ladakh was not even promised one. He made the remarks after protests for Ladakh’s statehood turned violent, resulting in four deaths and at least 45 injuries, including 22 policemen. Abdullah posted on X: “Ladakh wasn’t even promised Statehood, they celebrated UT status in 2019 & they feel betrayed & angry.”
- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said she had never imagined that a region as peace-loving as Ladakh could descend into violence. She urged the government to engage directly with the people. “I would have never imagined that the peace loving people of Ladakh would ever choose violence to have their demands heard. It is saddening to read about the protestors taking law into their own hands for their demand for statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule. GoI needs to engage people in a dialogue rather than turn a blind eye from Manipur to now Ladakh,” she stated.
- Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya accused the Congress of being behind the violence in Ladakh, targeting Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Posting on X, Malviya wrote: “This man rioting in Ladakh is Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, Congress Councillor for Upper Leh Ward. He can be clearly seen instigating the mob and participating in violence that targeted the BJP office and the Hill Council. Is this the kind of unrest Rahul Gandhi has been fantasising about?”