NGOs, Voices Across India Rally Behind Sonam Wangchuk; Gen Bakshi Warns Against Ignoring Ladakh Amid Chinese Threat
Leh/Shimla, Oct 3:
The preventive detention of climate activist and Ladakhi reformer Sonam Wangchuk has triggered a wave of support from civil society groups and prominent voices across the country.
Several organisations, including the Save Lahaul-Spiti Society, Shimla Collective, Ladakh Democratic Alliance, and SDC Foundation Dehradun, have demanded his immediate release, terming his detention “unjustified” at a time when Ladakh’s strategic and ecological concerns need urgent national attention.
Joining the chorus, retired army officer and nationalist commentator Brigadier GD Bakshi issued a sharp warning to New Delhi.
“China’s threat looms large over Ladakh. You cannot afford to ignore the voices of Ladakhis.
Sonam Wangchuk is not an ordinary man—he is a highly respected figure, not some cheap agitator,” Bakshi said, underlining that the government must address Ladakh’s issues before they spiral further.
Bakshi also flagged the shrinking number of Gorkhas in the armed forces and the fact that local youth are being recruited as Agniveers, arguing that Ladakh’s aspirations and grievances deserve serious engagement.
Meanwhile, Ladakh DGP SS Jamwal told reporters that Wangchuk’s detention was linked to an ongoing investigation.
“He was placed under preventive detention as part of a wider probe. A PIO (Public Information Officer) arrested in Ladakh was found in touch with him and allegedly passing sensitive records to Pakistan.
Around 44 more people are in custody. Those not found involved are being released after verification,” Jamwal clarified.
Even as authorities defend the move, the groundswell of support for Wangchuk suggests the issue may snowball into a larger debate on Ladakh’s future, its fragile environment, and the security challenges along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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