New Delhi has accused a well-known activist of guiding a mob by making provocative statements in Ladakh
India has imposed a curfew in Leh, the capital of its union territory of Ladakh, which borders China, after violent demonstrations resulted in several injuries and damage to property.
The union territory was formed from the former state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 by New Delhi in response to growing demands for autonomy by the locals, who mostly profess Buddhism.
The demonstrators, believed to be linked to well-known environmentalist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, are demanding that the union territory become a full state of India along the lines of the nation’s 28 states.
Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike since September 10 demanding that the Indian federal government meet the demand for Ladakh’s statehood among others.
“On 24th September, at around 11.30 am, a mob instigated by his [Wangchuk’s] provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as Government office of the CEC [Chief Election Commissioner] Leh,” the Indian Home Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“They also put these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched police vehicles,” the ministry added. “The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police/CRPF personnel were injured. The mob continued to destroy the public property and attack the police personnel. In self-defense, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported.”
The Indian Home Ministry said that it is “clear that the mob was incited” Wangchuk “through his provocative statements.” It added: “Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation.”
Wangchuk said the demonstrations were an “organic outburst” of people’s frustrations and added that the violence made it one of the “saddest days” of his life.
“For the last five years, we have maintained utmost peace and always peaceful approaches following Mahatma Gandhi’s path,” Wangchuk said, according to India Today. “But today was something totally unexpected, out of the blue, very organic, when youth came out and went on a rampage.”
