Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Oct 25: A grand reception was hosted by the people of Ladakh in the honour of renowned innovator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and other Ladakhis as they arrived Leh after nearly two months of ‘Pad Yatra’ and hunger strike in support of Ladakh’s demands.
The reception took place at Leh Polo Ground, where thousands of people gathered, and religious leaders expressed their appreciation for Wangchuk and his entourage’s contributions.
Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike at Ladakh Bhawan in New Delhi on the 16th day, after Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Prashant Lokhande, handed him a letter from the Ministry agreeing to resume talks on Ladakh’s issues on December 3, 2024.
Wangchuk, along with 150 people from Ladakh, undertook a month-long Pad Yatra from Leh to Delhi called ‘Delhi Chalo’ from September 1st to highlight Ladakh’s issues and pressure the Government of India to resume dialogue with Ladakhi leaders. The Pad Yatra, which commenced from NDS Memorial Park in Leh, was flagged off by Thupstan Chhewang, Chairman of the Leh Apex Body, in the presence of hundreds of yatris and supporters.
The march included participation from religious leaders across various communities, political and social activists, as well as many elderly individuals and youth.
The Pad Yatra aimed to draw the Government of India’s attention to Ladakh’s demands, which include statehood for Ladakh, the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India (given that 97% of Ladakh’s population is tribal), the establishment of a Public Service Commission (since there has not been a single recruitment for a Gazetted post since Ladakh became a Union Territory), and the creation of an additional Lok Sabha seat for Ladakh, as there is currently only one MP from the region. As a Union Territory without a Legislature, Ladakh is governed by a Lieutenant Governor, lacking local representation. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) of Leh and Kargil have limited authority, often undermined by an overly bureaucratic system led by the LG.
The Pad Yatris reached Delhi after their month-long march, crossing the Himalayas and traversing the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Chandigarh. The ‘Delhi Chalo’ Pad Yatra, inspired by Gandhi’s famous Dandi March, was planned to conclude on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, at Raj Ghat, after paying tribute to the father of the nation. However, on September 30, as the Pad Yatris entered Delhi, they were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border.
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