"Fight Will Go On": Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk Ends 21-Day Fast

Digital Desk: Renowned climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk has called for Ladakh's statehood and the preservation of the delicate Himalayan ecology. He has completed his hunger strike, but he has stated that his battle will go on, having survived for 21 days just on salt and water.

"I will continue to fight for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh and people's political rights." As he called off the hunger strike, Mr. Wangchuk said. 

Several Ladakhi groups, led by educationist and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, are calling for constitutional amendments that would allow them to safeguard their nature, culture, and territory. In a webinar on Sunday, Wangchuk claimed that Ladakh is being handled like a colony, with bureaucrats from outside dictating all decisions about the ecologically sensitive area.

“Since the time Ladakh got separated from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, the local people expected conservation of our unique environment, landscape and climate. The government had promised in different meetings and those promises are in the meeting minutes of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Tribal and Law ministries,” Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

The activist had been on a hunger strike in the cold desert of Ladakh from 6 March. On the last day of his fast, he took to X, “21st Day OF MY #CLIMATEFAST 350 people slept in - 10 °C. 5000 people in the day here. But still not a word from the government. We need statesmen of integrity, farsightedness & wisdom in this country & not just shortsighted characterless politicians. And I very much hope that @narendramodi ji & @AmitShah ji will soon prove that they are statesmen…”

The parties' major demand is to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides provisions for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. It permits local people to have a considerable role in how these areas are managed.