Condemning the recent allegations against climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, his wife and co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh, Gitanjali Angmo, described the claims as “blatant lies” on Tuesday. She said the narratives portraying him as “anti-national” are “totally baseless” and part of a “witch-hunt” aimed at undermining his campaign for Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh.
Arrest under NSA and detention in Jodhpur
Wangchuk was arrested in Leh last Friday under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly instigating protests on September 24. He has since been shifted to a Jodhpur jail. Angmo said she has been unable to contact her husband and has not yet received formal documents detailing the charges against him.
“We will use the best legal system in the country to defend him and we will not rest till the truth has been established,” she stated firmly at a press conference in Delhi.
Rejecting anti-national claims
Angmo openly challenged the allegations and offered to present evidence to counter them. “We openly challenge that whoever wants to debate with us on this issue, we are ready to counter it with facts, evidence, and the documents to prove that these allegations are wrong,” she said.
She accused authorities of spreading “baseless narratives” despite providing all relevant documents to CBI and Income Tax officials. According to her, this is part of an ongoing effort that the Wangchuk family has faced over nearly four years, which intensified in the last month, with the apparent aim of weakening the movement for greater autonomy in Ladakh.
Advocacy for Sixth Schedule protections
Wangchuk has been at the forefront of efforts to secure Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh, which would grant the region greater autonomy and safeguards for its indigenous population. Angmo reiterated that the movement is entirely legitimate and focused on protecting Ladakh’s fragile ecology, culture, and local governance.
“Whatever is being spread about Sonam is an attempt to distract from the real issue – the demand for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh,” she said.
Conclusion
The Wangchuk family has vowed to continue legal battles to ensure that the truth emerges and that activism for Ladakh’s autonomy is not undermined by unsubstantiated accusations. The case continues to draw national attention, highlighting tensions between local activism and the central government’s approach in the region.