Activist Sonam Wangchuk Urges President Murmu to Intervene Against Ladakh Administration

Activist Sonam Wangchuk has accused the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor's office of running a targeted online smear campaign against him and his educational projects. In a video released on Saturday, Wangchuk appealed directly to President Droupadi Murmu to take note of these actions and protect the democratic rights of people living in sensitive border regions.

Dispute and Allegations

Wangchuk stated that he is facing a deliberate witch-hunt for speaking up for young people and border areas like Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. He and his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, who serves as the co-founder and CEO of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, point to bureaucratic delays as the real reason behind a disputed land lease. The Union Territory administration cancelled this lease after citing unpaid premiums and a failure to follow the land's intended use. Meanwhile, the labour court in Leh reserved its order on Saturday in a separate dispute involving a former employee's claims of unfair treatment and unpaid maternity benefits.

Campaign Claims

According to Wangchuk, his lawyers uncovered a sting operation showing that official machinery was used to defame him. He mentioned that he first shared these materials with the Intelligence Bureau Chief, but stopped receiving replies after a few exchanges. Angmo also claimed that the administration used public funds to pay private agencies for two social media accounts, named Ladakh Lens and Ladakh Vision, to attack her husband and praise the leadership. Despite notices from the administration to halt classes at the Desert Flower School due to a pending High Court case, the founders have chosen to keep the school running. The Lieutenant Governor's office has not yet issued a response to these allegations.

Context

Ladakh holds immense strategic and ecological importance for India as a remote border region governed directly by the Union government through a Lieutenant Governor. Demands for constitutional safeguards, such as statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, have remained major talking points for local activists and community leaders in recent years.