Daijiworld Media Network – Leh

Leh, Sep 26: Ladakh statehood activist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on Thursday, a day after he said he would be “happy to be arrested anytime for this cause,” amid allegations of inciting violence during recent protests.

The arrest follows the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) cancellation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of Wangchuk’s non-profit, Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which bars it from receiving foreign funds.

Wangchuk, however, denied the charges, stating that SECMOL never received foreign donations and only engaged in business transactions with UN, Swiss and Italian organisations, paying all required taxes. “They mistook it as foreign contributions. I consider it a mistake on their part,” he told.

Tensions in Ladakh have grown since the region was made a Union Territory in 2019, with demands for full statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution gaining strength. Violence erupted two days ago during a hunger strike by Wangchuk, leaving four dead and over 50 injured, including security personnel.

The MHA alleged that Wangchuk’s “provocative statements” incited the mob and accused him of leaving the protest site in an ambulance “without making serious efforts to control the situation.” The government noted that it has been in talks with the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to address Ladakh’s concerns.

Wangchuk warned in an interview that his arrest would only “awaken people more about how this country is being run,” adding that he was prepared for detention. Police have begun a detailed probe as political and religious groups from both Leh and Kargil continue to press for constitutional safeguards and statehood.