Sonam Wangchuk Leads Leh Padyatra to Remember Victims of Last Year’s Violence

The unrest last year had left four civilians dead and dozens injured, a moment that continues to shape Ladakh’s political mobilisation. “The march — organised ahead of Thursday’s Shaheed Diwas — was shortened because of changing weather conditions,” he said.

Reports from Leh said that despite Wangchuk’s presence and participation from members of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), the padyatra saw limited turnout from local residents. Organisers said this was intentional as many in Ladakh had urged that the commemorative programme be led primarily by locals rather than becoming a large-scale mobilisation drawing participants from outside the region.

Earlier Wangchuk wrote on ‘X’ that Ladakh is ‘calling the nation’ as its people have always stood for it and now it was time the nation stands with Ladakh. He had said, “On 23^rd, there’ll be a historic peaceful Padyatra March towards Leh. On 24th September there’ll be all faith prayers organised by the LBA in memory of 4+1 people who died in indiscriminate firing last year. Look forward to marching with you and many journalists, YouTubers who we hope will carry our message to the nation.”

This year’s symbolic march comes after weeks of fluctuating momentum in Ladakh’s agitation. Earlier this month, the Kargil–Leh Peace and Justice Padyatra — originally planned as a 15‑day mobilisation from September 10 to 24 — was postponed following the announcement of fresh talks between LAB–Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held in New Delhi on September 9. Wangchuk had described the postponement as a strategic pause to “allow space for dialogue,” while cautioning that the agitation would resume if the Centre resorted to “delays or dilly dallying tactics.”

The planned march was meant to highlight Ladakh’s four‑point agenda: full statehood, Sixth Schedule protections, a robust constitutional framework, and restoration of democratic institutions. It was also to culminate in a candlelight vigil marking the first anniversary of the 2025 protest deaths — the same event now being observed through Wednesday’s shortened padyatra and the proposed prayer meeting on Thursday.

The September 9 talks, however, failed to produce substantial progress. The MHA later asked LAB and the KDA to build consensus on eight to ten unresolved issues before the Centre drafts a special constitutional framework for Ladakh under Article 371. Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said discussions have moved toward creating a Union Territory–level elected body with direct elections, positioned above Panchayats and the Hill Development Councils. But key questions remain regarding division of powers between the proposed institution and the existing Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), and the subjects each body will control.

Kundra also noted that preliminary drafting work has begun, emphasising that no governance model will be imposed and that agreement on core principles must precede legal drafting. The proposed arrangement, he said, aims to safeguard Ladakh’s land, culture, heritage, environment, mineral resources and jobs — with Article 371 offering stronger, more durable protections than the Sixth Schedule. He clarified that the new body would not amount to statehood but would be a sui generis model with legislative, executive and financial powers.

Meanwhile, the Ladakh administration took steps to address long-standing grievances linked to the 2025 violence. On September 13, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced a comprehensive compensation package: ₹15 lakh each for the families of the four deceased, ₹3 lakh for those with major injuries, and ₹1 lakh for individuals with minor injuries — a total financial commitment of ₹1.52 crore. “While no compensation amount can replace a life lost or erase the pain endured, the Ladakh Administration firmly stands beside every affected family,” Saxena said.

This followed the August 21 decision to withdraw cases against 25 individuals who were found to have had little or no involvement in the 2025 incidents — partial acceptance of LAB–KDA’s demand for unconditional withdrawal of all cases and dignified compensation for victims’ families.

Political signalling from New Delhi has also intensified. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju recently reiterated the Modi Government’s commitment to granting Ladakh a special constitutional provision under Article 371, while noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon visit Ladakh to review development projects and meet local communities.

For now, however, Ladakh’s representative bodies remain firm on their “non‑negotiable” demands — full statehood, Sixth Schedule safeguards, restoration of a legislature, a separate Public Service Commission, job security, early recruitments, and separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil. The symbolic padyatra led by Wangchuk on Wednesday served as a reminder that, despite ongoing negotiations, Ladakh’s agitation remains very much alive.