HT Digital,
Leh, March 26: Climate advocate and innovator Sonam Wangchuk concluded his 21-day hunger strike in Ladakh on Tuesday. Wangchuk had been staging the hunger strike in Leh, Ladakh, advocating for Ladakh to be granted statehood and included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
“After receiving a glass of juice from a young girl amidst a large crowd at the protest site, Wangchuk stated, ‘The first phase of the hunger strike is coming to an end today, but this does not mark the end of our protest,'” reported news agency PTI.
Wangchuk, known also for his contributions to education reform, emphasized that the conclusion of the hunger strike signifies the commencement of a new phase in the ongoing protest. “We will persist in our struggle to support our demands,” he asserted, noting the significant turnout of 10,000 people at the venue and the participation of over 60,000 others during the past 20 days as a testament to the people’s aspirations.
Earlier on the same day, Wangchuk shared a video urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to prioritize the protection of the Himalayas and implement the Sixth Schedule in Ladakh to safeguard the indigenous tribes. He took to a social media platform to express his disappointment with the government’s silence despite the significant public engagement in the protest.
Wangchuk emphasized the necessity of having statesmen with integrity, foresight, and wisdom in leadership roles, as opposed to short-sighted and morally bankrupt politicians. He expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah would demonstrate statesmanship by addressing the concerns raised by the protesters.
Furthermore, Wangchuk called upon the public to exercise their voting rights judiciously in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, emphasizing the importance of making informed decisions in the best interest of the nation.
