CPI(M) Demands Immediate Release of Sonam Wangchuk Detained Under NSA

New Delhi : The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday on September 27,  issued a statement demanding the immediate release of Ladakhi environmentalist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, who has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA). The party said the action is “draconian” and accused the Union Government of attempting to suppress democratic dissent in the region.

Wangchuk has been a prominent voice in the ongoing movement seeking statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which would provide greater autonomy and protection for tribal populations in the region. His detention has sparked widespread concern among civil society groups and opposition parties.

In a statement released by the Politburo, the CPI(M) said the arrest “exposes the authoritarian character of the BJP-led union government and its contempt for the genuine aspirations of the people of Ladakh.”

The CPI(M) further called for the unconditional withdrawal of all cases filed against protesters and demanded the acceptance of the movement’s core demands, including constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.

The party expressed concern that such actions would “only deepen the alienation of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, including Ladakh,” and urged the government to engage with the democratic movement in a constructive manner.

Wangchuk, known internationally for his work on climate resilience and education, has been leading peaceful protests over the past year in support of Ladakh’s demand for constitutional recognition. Activists and local leaders have argued that the absence of Sixth Schedule protections leaves Ladakh vulnerable to ecological degradation and the erosion of indigenous rights.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and the bifurcation of the former state of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh was designated as a separate Union Territory without a legislature. Local organisations, including the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, have since pressed for constitutional safeguards to protect land, jobs, and cultural identity.