On Wednesday, protests demanding full statehood for the Union Territory of Ladakh turned violent, leading to the deaths of four and injuring more than 70 people. In light of these events, Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for 15 days, ended his fast. Questions are now being raised about his February visit to Pakistan.
Sonam Wangchuk had traveled to Pakistan on February 6 this year. However, following the violence on Wednesday in Leh, his previous trip has come under scrutiny. Responding to questions regarding the visit, Wangchuk released a video statement addressing the concerns.
Wangchuk attended the
Breath Pakistan
Climate Conference in Islamabad on February 6, an event hosted by Dawn Media. During this conference, he participated in a panel discussion titled
Glacial Melt: A Sustainable Strategy for the Water Towers of South Asia
During the visit, he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Wangchuk shared on social media, "Yes, I am in Islamabad, and yes, I praised Prime Minister Modi for Mission Life. There are no boundaries to water and air pollution, nor should there be limits to our efforts, and commendable initiatives must be appreciated."
Responding to the questions about his trip to Pakistan, Wangchuk emphasized that the environment knows no borders, impacting the entire world indiscriminately. "Environmental efforts cannot be confined to borders," he stated. He praised PM Modi’s initiative saying, "In times when many global leaders turn a blind eye to climate change, PM Modi's initiatives like Mission Life deserve recognition. There's no surprise in appreciating what is commendable. We must work beyond borders."
Previously, after the violence during the Leh protest, Wangchuk ended his fast. He stated, "It's a day of sorrow for Ladakh. For five years, we've pursued peace. We've fasted, and marched from Leh to Delhi. Today, we witness the failure of our peaceful message amidst violence, shootings, and arson. I urge the youth of Ladakh to cease this madness. We are breaking our fast, halting protests." It was noted that after the violence in Leh, the central government claimed that Wangchuk incited violence there on September 24.
It's noteworthy that under Wangchuk's leadership, four demands were made. After Article 370 was revoked on August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was split into two Union Territories. Jammu and Kashmir became a separate entity, while Leh and Kargil were combined to form the Union Territory of Ladakh. Now, there is a demand for granting Ladakh full statehood.
