Detained Wangchuk taken to Rajghat

New Delhi: Climate activist Soman Wangchuk and 150 Ladakhis under police detention for the past two days for violating prohibitory orders have been taken to Rajghat, an officer said on Wednesday.

Wangchuk, who was leading 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', had gone on an indefinite fast after he was detained by the Delhi Police on Monday. The 'padyatra' was organised by the Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been spearheading an agitation for the last four years for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Wangchuk had begun his journey with 150 Ladakhis from Leh a month ago.

Earlier, Wangchuk and 150 other protestors from Ladakh who are under detention on Wednesday continued their indefinite fast, saying they find their rights "trampled upon" on Gandhi Jayanti, a day that symbolizes peace and democracy. In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, Jigmat Paljor, Coordinator Apex Body, said their detention, which is continuing for over 24 hours, is illegal. "We, the 'padyatris', find ourselves in an alarming situation. We have been detained for over 24 hours. This detention is illegal, as the 24-hour period has elapsed, and we must be produced before a magistrate," Paljor said. "Some groups have been released after just under 24 hours, only to be returned to the police station.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the issue of Ladakh should be considered a "priority among priorities" as he backed the ongoing protest led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk in the Union Territory.

In a long post in Hindi on X, Yadav said, "The effort to save Ladakh is also to save our border land. If the pastures are gradually taken over by others, then there will be a grave crisis for the sheep and goats of the Pashmina shepherds of Ladakh and their related products, which is directly related to the livelihood of the society of Ladakh.

"That is why this issue, apart from being a sensitive strategic issue, is also a very worrying economic-social issue. There is a need to look at the Ladakh issue through a larger lens.