Ladakh: Activist Sonam Wangchuk Ends 21-Day-Long Protest Seeking Statehood, Announces 'Border March'|Visuals

Renowned education reforminst Sonam Wangchuk initiated a hunger strike in Leh on March 6 over his demand for statehood and constitutional rights for Ladakh. The protest ended on March 26, Tuesday. PTI

Braving sub-zero temperatures, Wangchuk continued with the hunger strike for three weeks. The key demands of the protest included statehood for Ladakh and implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the region. PTI

The sixth Schedule ensures protections for land and a nominal autonomy for the country’s tribal areas. In 2019, as part of the abolition of Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) special constitutional status, New Delhi granted Union Territory (UT) status to Ladakh. PTI

Today, Wangchuk announced the agitation to demand statehood for Ladakh will be intensified and a 'border march' will be held on April 7. While announcing, he also highlighted that the Leh-based Apex body will lead the march to highlight the ground realities of Ladakh. PTI

Wangchuk alleged that nomads were losing prime pasture land to huge industrial plants to the south and Chinese encroachments to the north. -

"The Changthang grazers, famous for producing Pashmina wool, are being forced to sell their animals because over 20,000 acres of grazing land was taken by industrialists to set up their plants... we do not want solar energy at the cost of our people's livelihood and dislocation," he claimed. X/PTI

Wangchuk today also mentioned that he was ready to go on a hunger strike once again if the demands of the people of Ladakh were not met as "we are fighting for our future and the children". X/@Wangchuk66