A movement had been going on in Ladakh to demand inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, full statehood, two Lok Sabha constituencies and a separate Public Service Commission for Ladakh. Sonam Wangchuk was on his fifth fast in Leh. Suddenly, on 24 September 2025, the youth decided to become more aggressive, having lost patience with Sonam’s peaceful satyagraha when a few persons on fast were hospitalised and there was a delay in the government’s response to the agitation.
The stir resulted in police firing in which four youth were killed and 44 injured. Cases were registered against many. A youth also committed suicide some days later out of frustration and shock following the firing incident. Sonam Wangchuk had to withdraw his fast in the face of violence, but he was arrested two days later on 26 September. The National Security Act was invoked against him and he spent the next six months in Jodhpur jail. The government itself decided to withdraw the case against him so that he could be released.
Nobody was held accountable for the arrest in the first place and the application of the NSA, after an attempt at character assassination was made by the government against Sonam Wangchuk. Such are the arbitrary ways of the government. A judicial enquiry was set up on public demand in the aftermath of this violence, which has produced no results so far.
No agitation took place for almost a year because of the repressive ways of the regime. A new demand was added to the four above-mentioned – justice for victims of violence or their families and withdrawal of cases registered against all those related to the 24 September incident.
Exactly a year after the violence, two public meetings were held. On 23 September, a short march from the bus stand in Kargil was initiated, which culminated in a public meeting at Hussaini Park. Leaders of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, religious, social and political organisations addressed the meeting. KDA Co-Chairperson Sajjad Kargili conducted the meeting, in which the present and only MP from Ladakh, Hanifa Jan, and the other KDA Co-Chairperson, Asgar Karbalai, also spoke. Students from Delhi University, members of the Socialist Party (India) from U.P. and a farmer leader from M.P. had come to express solidarity.
No agitation took place for almost a year because of the repressive ways of the regime. A new demand was added to the four above-mentioned – justice for victims of violence or their families and withdrawal of cases registered against all those related to the 24 September incident.
Exactly a year after the violence, two public meetings were held. On 23 September, a short march from the bus stand in Kargil was initiated, which culminated in a public meeting at Hussaini Park. Leaders of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, religious, social and political organisations addressed the meeting. KDA Co-Chairperson Sajjad Kargili conducted the meeting, in which the present and only MP from Ladakh, Hanifa Jan, and the other KDA Co-Chairperson, Asgar Karbalai, also spoke. Students from Delhi University, members of the Socialist Party (India) from U.P. and a farmer leader from M.P. had come to express solidarity.
Sajjad Kargili exhorted the primarily Shia population that they should stop raising slogans for the freedom of Palestine or invoking the sacrifice of Imam Hussain if they are not ready to fight against the injustice being done to them.
On 24 September in Leh, first a prayer meeting was held in NDS Memorial Park by Buddhist monks from different denominations in the memory of martyrs who gave up their lives for the cause of Ladakh, followed by a public meeting in NDS Stadium. The highlight of the public meeting was the participation of the leadership of KDA and Leh Apex Body, the two organisations at the forefront of the struggle and also the ones which participate in the dialogue process with the government, together from the same platform, symbolically signifying unity between the largely Buddhist Leh population and largely Shia Muslim Kargil population.
On 24 September in Leh, first a prayer meeting was held in NDS Memorial Park by Buddhist monks from different denominations in the memory of martyrs who gave up their lives for the cause of Ladakh, followed by a public meeting in NDS Stadium. The highlight of the public meeting was the participation of the leadership of KDA and Leh Apex Body, the two organisations at the forefront of the struggle and also the ones which participate in the dialogue process with the government, together from the same platform, symbolically signifying unity between the largely Buddhist Leh population and largely Shia Muslim Kargil population.
It is noteworthy that the government and other anti-movement forces have left no stone unturned in trying to create a rift between the leadership of the two different communities. The divide-and-rule policy has become the hallmark of BJP rule in India, which is visible in the form of Hindu-Muslim alienation to different degrees in different parts of the country and between Meitei and Kuki communities, in which now the Nagas are also getting drawn, in its worst form in Manipur. Compared to the distances created between different communities as part of polarising politics, the Buddhist-Muslim unity in Ladakh stands as a shining example of communal harmony from which other communities in India could learn. In the movement for the common demands, they have presented a united face in the form of the LAB-KDA alliance.
Sonam Wangchuk spoke at length at this meeting and was clearly the star speaker. He revealed to the public how Amit Shah, who had first agreed to accord Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh, went back on his promise. He alleged that Amit Shah had told the LAB-KDA leadership that even if the Prime Minister was willing to offer Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh, he would not let it happen.
Sonam Wangchuk spoke at length at this meeting and was clearly the star speaker. He revealed to the public how Amit Shah, who had first agreed to accord Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh, went back on his promise. He alleged that Amit Shah had told the LAB-KDA leadership that even if the Prime Minister was willing to offer Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh, he would not let it happen.
Sonam Wangchuk held Amit Shah responsible for the 24 September 2025 violence, as it was betrayal by him that created a sense of frustration among the Ladakhi youth and forced them to take to the streets. He asked for Amit Shah’s resignation, continuing with the recent trend of holding the authorities accountable, which tasted success in the form of the resignation of the Education Minister in the NEET paper leak case. He said that if Rahul Gandhi can ask for Amit Shah’s resignation for the use of pellet guns on the Delhi Jantar Mantar demonstrators, then the demand for Amit Shah’s resignation is definitely in order in the case of the four youth who were killed in Ladakh.
Sonam Wangchuk said he had already faced all kinds of repression from the government, including incarceration, revoking of permission for land granted to his organisation for educational purposes and various enquiries into his educational institution. The only thing that they could now do to him was to kill him in an encounter, and he said he was prepared for it.
Sonam Wangchuk said he had already faced all kinds of repression from the government, including incarceration, revoking of permission for land granted to his organisation for educational purposes and various enquiries into his educational institution. The only thing that they could now do to him was to kill him in an encounter, and he said he was prepared for it.
Putting his life at stake has filled the people of Ladakh with a commitment and courage to take on the government valiantly in this struggle for justice. Unless Parliament passes a bill which is in accordance with the demands of the LAB-KDA leadership in its winter session, the struggle is likely to intensify in the coming year.
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Sandeep Pandey is Secretary General of Socialist Party (India), and Gunjan Singh is with PUCL, Kanpur
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Sandeep Pandey is Secretary General of Socialist Party (India), and Gunjan Singh is with PUCL, Kanpur
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