Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday accused the Centre of betraying Ladakh after the Union home ministry said the October 22 talks would not go ahead, days after both sides exchanged draft proposals, and declared that “nothing less than a Union Territory with a legislature and safeguards will be acceptable.”
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Wangchuk said representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had prepared for the next round of talks following their October 15 meeting in Leh. There, they submitted their draft to the MHA and received a proposal in return. The two drafts were compared point by point, with the expectation that differences would be discussed at the next meeting.
“I had already booked my tickets. We made our plans accordingly, but now they are saying the meeting is not happening,” Wangchuk said, describing the development as another betrayal of trust.
The May 22 understanding
Wangchuk said the May 22 meeting between LAB, KDA and the MHA sub-committee had raised hopes of a democratic framework for Ladakh. The talks focused on constitutional protection, democratic representation and the long-pending demand for statehood.
He said the government had then proposed safeguards along the lines of Articles 371A and 371G and agreed in principle to a governance structure for the entire region, rather than limiting powers to district councils. The representatives, who had initially sought statehood, then proposed a Union Territory with a legislature and constitutional safeguards after being told Ladakh lacked the resources to sustain statehood.
The activist argued that the demand for a legislature was rooted in the need to give Ladakh’s people a say in how the region is governed. Citing Arunachal Pradesh, which was granted statehood in 1987 despite its sensitive border location, he said strategic considerations should not be used to deny Ladakh an elected legislature.
Wangchuk also pointed out that Ladakh’s position on the border with China made the protection of its democratic rights particularly important. He stressed the region should be strengthened by giving its people the same democratic rights as citizens elsewhere in India.
“China is claiming Ladakh as its territory. We condemn that. But do not crush Ladakh under your feet,” he said, warning the government against weakening the border region through its own decisions.
“Do not weaken the borders because of your stubbornness,” he added.
Democratic and local grievances
Wangchuk claimed that decisions were currently being taken unilaterally by the administration and that district councils had seen their powers curtailed.
“An LG has been appointed like a British Viceroy, who makes unilateral decisions. This is a blot on Indian democracy,” he alleged.
He also raised concerns about the protection of Ladakh’s land, resources and identity, noting that around 90 per cent of its population belongs to tribal communities. He said local people risked being marginalised in decisions involving corporate interests, and questioned policies that, he alleged, were being pursued without adequate public consent. He cited protests by women against the expansion of liquor sales, saying many people wanted Ladakh to remain a dry region.
The activist acknowledged some positive developments, including a High Court bench and improvements to roads and the airport, but said these could not substitute for democratic rights.
“Whatever good has happened, we salute it. But nobody wants a cage, even if it is made of gold,” he said.
Referring to the September 24, 2025 violence in Leh, Wangchuk said the protest had been peaceful, with people sitting on a hunger strike, yet people had been killed.
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The climate activist also weighed in on the protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), saying the debate on electoral reforms should extend to regions such as Ladakh, where people cannot elect representatives to a legislative assembly.
"The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was one aspect of a broader question about democratic rights... elections alone are not enough if promises made to people were not fulfilled," he said, calling for larger electoral reforms.