Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, along with 150 other protesters from Ladakh, continued their indefinite fast on Wednesday, despite being in detention. They expressed feeling their rights were “trampled upon” on Gandhi Jayanti, a day that symbolises peace and democracy.
Wangchuk was leading the ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’, which began a month ago from Leh, when they were detained on Monday night. On Wednesday morning, Jigmat Paljor, Coordinator of the Apex Body, issued a statement calling the detention illegal, as it had exceeded 24 hours without them being presented before a magistrate.
“We, the ‘padyatris’, find ourselves in a concerning situation. We have been detained for more than 24 hours, and this detention is unlawful, as we should have been produced before a magistrate by now,” Paljor said.
He added that some groups had been released just before the 24-hour period ended, only to be returned to the police station later. “Last night, the police attempted to forcibly relocate us to an unknown location, but we resisted and stood our ground,” he explained.
The protestors’ phones have been confiscated at the Bawana Police Station, cutting them off from the outside world, Paljor further mentioned.
However, Delhi Police stated that the ‘padyatris’ had been released on Tuesday night but were detained again when they attempted to march towards central Delhi. According to a senior police officer, Wangchuk and others were allowed to leave but were adamant about continuing their march, leading to their second detention.
The ‘padyatris’ began their journey from Leh on 1st September, marching most of the way except through Haryana, where they boarded buses due to election restrictions. They were stopped at Delhi’s Singhu border on Monday night and taken to various police stations, where they began their indefinite fast.
“All the ‘padyatris’ have been fasting for 36 hours. On October 2nd, Gandhi Jayanti, we had planned to visit Gandhi Samadhi to pay our respects, but instead, we find our rights crushed on a day dedicated to peace and democracy,” Paljor said.
“This situation raises grave concerns about the current state of democracy in our country. We urge everyone to stand in solidarity with us during this critical time,” he added.
The march was organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been campaigning for the last four years. They are demanding statehood for Ladakh, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, timely recruitment processes, a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil districts.
Wangchuk, along with a few others, is being held at the Bawana police station, while others are being detained at police stations in Narela Industrial Area, Alipur, and Kanjhawala, according to Paljor.
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