Srinagar: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has called off his march at the head of his supporters to the China border in Ladakh to “avoid any sort of confrontation with the law-enforcing agenci
Mr. Wangchuk had last month announced that he will on April 7 lead around 10,000 people from Ladakh in a march to the border along China to showcase how much land has been lost to the neighbouring country in the north and how the farmers and shepherds are losing prime pastureland to huge industrial plants in the south.
57-year-old Wangchuk, who is the founding-director of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, after ending a 21-day hunger strike on March 26 also said that the agitation to demand statehood for Ladakh will be intensified in coming weeks.
However, on Friday Leh District Magistrate Santosh Sukhadeve imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC banning holding of processions, rallies and marches in the district without his prior approval “to prevent any breach of peace, disturbance to public tranquillity and danger to human life.”
Also, Ladakh's Additional Director General of Police Darshan Singh has ordered for suspending the mobile data of 3G, 4G and 5G and public Wi-Fi 5G facilities temporarily "in the interest of maintenance of public peace, and law and order" in the Union Territory.
Accusing the administration of turning Leh into a “war zone” ahead of the proposed march, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Saturday said it is withdrawing the proposed event to “avoid any sort of confrontation with the law-enforcement agencies”. Its leaders while addressing a press conference along with Mr. Wangchuk in Leh said that they have already achieved their objective of creating awareness among the people of the country about the plight of farmers, who are allegedly losing prime pastureland to huge industrial plants in the south and to “Chinese encroachments” in the north.
Mr. Wangchuk said that looking at the prevailing situation in Leh and its neighbourhood, the government seems to be acting “like a mad elephant having no care for national security or people’s sentiments and their problems”. He said, “It appears its only concern is winning elections, and it can stop people from marching even at the cost of using violence”.
He added, “We are concerned about national security and the peaceful atmosphere. Secondly, our aim to generate awareness in the country about the ground situation in Ladakh has been achieved, so we are withdrawing the proposed border march in the interest of people and to avoid confrontation with the law-enforcement agencies.”
Mr. Wangchuk had on Friday alleged that people including women were being threatened and called to the police stations to pressurise them not to support him. “I hope what is being said and done is just a misunderstanding which will go away but if it escalates it would prove that India is becoming a banana republic or andher nagri (a place doomed to go down in darkness) where reminding promises is a crime and breaking them is not,” he had said, adding that reminding the government of its promises has become a crime.
