Sonam Wangchuk, Leh apex body begin 35-day fast over Ladakh’s statehood demand

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Leh Apex Body on September 10 launched a 35-day fast in Leh, pressing for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule and the grant of statehood.

The announcement came after an all-faith prayer service, signalling the peaceful nature of the protest. Addressing the media, Wangchuk said the decision followed the Union Home Ministry’s silence for nearly two months.

“The talks with the Union government stopped around two months ago. Just as the talks were going to reach a point where discussions about the main demands were going to start, the government has not called another meeting,” he said.

Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee known for his climate activism, said the community was left with no choice but to intensify the agitation. He reminded the Bharatiya Janata Party of its earlier promise during the Leh Hill Council elections to secure Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. “The promise should be fulfilled before the upcoming polls,” he added.

The fast, scheduled to last until Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, is being positioned as a pivotal phase in the movement. “The Leh Apex Body held an all-faith prayer service to give the message that our protest is peaceful, non-violent, and our demands are within the ambit of the Indian Constitution,” Wangchuk said.

The Leh Hill Council elections are due soon, and the activists say this is the right time for the Centre to act on its assurances.