HT Correspondent
ITANAGAR, Sept 27: Former Lok Sabha member and senior social activist Takam Sanjoy has strongly condemned the arrest of renowned climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, describing the move by the BJP-led NDA government as the “worst blunder of 2025.”
Wangchuk was arrested in Leh on September 26 under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), while the Ministry of Home Affairs also cancelled the license of his NGO, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), over alleged violations.
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Sanjoy termed the action “uncalled for and unconstitutional,” accusing the government of suppressing the democratic voice of the people and reflecting what he called the “anti-people attitude of the saffron brigade.”
The Ladakh-based climate activist had launched a 35-day hunger strike in Leh on September 10, demanding inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and full-fledged statehood for the Union Territory.
His agitation followed two months of silence from the Union Home Ministry, which had stalled talks on the long-pending demands.
This was Wangchuk’s second major protest, after his 21-day “climate fast” in sub-zero temperatures in March 2024, which had ended with women-led relay strikes but failed to produce any breakthrough.
Sanjoy, who is also a former president of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) and a founding member of the North East Students’ Union (NESO), demanded Wangchuk’s immediate and unconditional release.
“He is a staunch nationalist. His arrest is an insult to the democratic values of India and to Mahatma Gandhi, who achieved freedom for the nation through peaceful means,” Sanjoy said.
He further argued that peaceful agitation for genuine demands is a constitutional right.
“Wangchuk’s demand for statehood is genuine, as Union Territories are usually upgraded to meet the democratic aspirations of their people. However, the BJP has shown otherwise by downgrading the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory, a move unprecedented in the political history of India,” Sanjoy said.
The former MP alleged that the ruling party intends to keep Ladakh under tight control through the Lieutenant Governor’s office and hinted at “a hidden agenda to weaken democratic rights of Ladakhis.”
Highlighting the environmental importance of the region, Sanjoy said that Wangchuk’s concerns are valid since the Himalayas provide nearly 80 percent of India’s water supply and face recurring climate disasters.
He cited the 12th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit of the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI), chaired by former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi in Dehradun, where scientists and policymakers stressed coordinated and community-driven development for the Himalayan region.
Wangchuk’s agitation, supported by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has also focused on land rights, cultural preservation, environmental safeguards, and strengthening of local governance since Ladakh’s separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370.
Sanjoy questioned the use of NSA against Wangchuk, noting that the activist has no record of anti-national activity.
“The NSA, rooted in colonial-era Bengal Regulation III of 1818, empowers detention without trial for up to 12 months. The BJP has taken Bharat back to the pre-independence era by adopting coercive measures worse than the Britishers,” he said, adding that such steps will only deepen public distrust.
The arrest has sparked sharp political reactions across the country. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have criticised the Centre for what they described as an assault on democracy.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also condemned the arrest, saying it was intended to “divert attention from the BJP’s failure to maintain law and order in Ladakh.” Calling the episode the “worst blunder of 2025,” Sanjoy urged the BJP-led government to “stop disrespecting the Constitution and awaken from its deep slumber.”
