Massive student protest in Leh leads to clashes, complete shutdown, know what exactly happened – WATCH video
By Bits Pilani Digital,Sonali Sharma
Copyright dnaindia
A Massive Protest by Students turned into clashes between police and students in Leh. A complete shutdown is being observed across the region against the Union Government and the UT administration, with protesters accusing them of breaking promises made under a four-point agreement.
A large number of students gathered in support of activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike entered its 15th day. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) had earlier announced that its leaders would not end their fast until their key demands, statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, are fulfilled.
The LAB has also demanded an urgent meeting with the central government, warning that public patience is running out.
Students back Sonam Wangchuk
Notably, Wangchuk has been fasting for a long time to urge that Ladakh be granted full statehood and added to the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule. His request has received a lot of support, particularly from young people who blame the Center for not doing more to address the problem. The situation became increasingly unstable when students in Leh raised chants and escalated their protests as police attempted to quell the unrest.
Who is Sonam Wangchuk, the man leading Leh protests?
Sonam Wangchuk is a social activist, engineer, and innovator from Ladakh, widely respected for his work in education and environmental sustainability. He is the founder of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an initiative aimed at improving education in Ladakh’s rural areas. Over the years, Wangchuk has been vocal on social and environmental issues, often pushing for sustainable development in the Himalayan region. His life and work even inspired Aamir Khan’s character “Rancho” in the Bollywood film 3 Idiots. In recognition of his contributions, Wangchuk was honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018. Today, he stands at the forefront of the Leh protests, symbolising the fight for Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
