After ending his 16-day hunger strike, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk expressed gratitude to the people who supported the strike and expressed hope that positive talks would continue.
Wangchuk said that they received a letter from the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs addressing his demands.
“We are happy that we are ending this hunger strike on the 16th day. The Joint Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs has given us a letter regarding our demands…We are hopeful that there are positive talks and I do not have to go on a hunger strike for this same issue again…I thank the people of the country who supported this hunger strike,” the climate activist said.
Earlier on Sunday, Delhi Police detained members of the All India Students Association (AISA) who were protesting outside Ladakh Bhawan in support of Wangchuk. He is seeking a meeting with top leadership regarding the demand for Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, among other concerns.
On October 5, Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike to draw attention to the region’s demands for statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. He and his supporters are advocating for constitutional safeguards to empower Ladakh’s local population to protect their land and cultural identity.
This demand has the backing of both the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). Earlier, on October 9, the Delhi High Court issued a notice seeking responses from the Delhi Police, the Government of NCT Delhi, and other respondents on a plea filed by the Leh Apex Body. The plea sought permission for Wangchuk and others to hold a peaceful protest or hunger strike (Anshan) at Jantar Mantar from October 8 to October 23. (ANI)
