On September 26, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his concern over the recent arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, calling it ‘unfortunate’. Abdullah accused the BJP-led NDA government of failing to fulfill its promises to the people in the region.
Wangchuk’s arrest followed violent protests in Ladakh earlier this week, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left approximately 90 others injured. Abdullah made these statements to reporters during the inaugural ceremony of the third Junior Asian Pencak Silat championship held in Jammu.
“This (Wangchuk’s arrest) is unfortunate. The way the Central government was after him since yesterday, it seemed they would do something like this,” Abdullah said, underscoring his belief that the central administration targeted Wangchuk due to his activism.
Wangchuk, a senior member of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), has long been at the forefront of demands for statehood for Ladakh and its classification under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. He had actively participated in agitations that have persisted for more than five years.
While the precise charges against Wangchuk remain unclear, the Home Ministry has pointed fingers at him, blaming his actions for inciting the violence that erupted during recent protests.
Abdullah reminded the media of the promises made by Union ministers prior to the Hill Council elections in Leh in 2020, where community leaders initially decided to boycott the voting process. He stated, “Promises were made to make people contest and participate in the elections. Not only did the people then participate in the elections in huge numbers, but they made BJP win. But the promises were not kept, same as with us.”
He further stressed that following the participation in elections, Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood should be restored in accordance with commitments made. “After the elections, the government was formed based on those promises. If the central government has now backtracked, it raises serious questions about its intentions,” he said.
The Chief Minister also raised a pertinent question regarding the reasons for the delay in restoring statehood. “Are the people of J&K being kept away from statehood because they elected the BJP?” he asked. “If that is the case, then they should tell the court that till BJP doesn’t form the government in J&K, statehood will not be restored,” he remarked.
In response to an allegation from the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the J&K assembly, Sunil Sharma, who claimed Abdullah was justifying the violence in Ladakh, the Chief Minister snapped back, asserting that the BJP MLA often shifts blame onto others without acknowledging the complexities of the situation.
As tensions rise in Ladakh amidst calls for statehood, the future of political promises remains uncertain. Activists like Sonam Wangchuk now face the repercussions of advocating for the rights of their community, leaving personal liberties and meaningful dialogue in the balance.
