New Delhi: On October 13, the Delhi Police detained around 60 of Sonam Wangchuk’s supporters who were fasting peacefully in solidarity outside Ladakh Bhawan with the climate activist. Today marked the eighth day of the Ladakhis’ hunger strike for the implementation of the sixth schedule and statehood in Ladakh.
Wangchuk’s supporters were detained after the police first dispersed several others who were fasting at the spot. The police also barricaded the area around Ladakh Bhawan at around noon and prevented the activist from speaking to the media.
Jigmat Paljor, coordinator and a member of the Leh Apex Body, who is also among the many Ladakhis participating in the fast along with Wangchuk, later came to the area outside the barricades and said it was very unfortunate that the Delhi Police is not permitting supporters to even fast peacefully to assert their demands.
Fasting for Ladakh
Wangchuk, who is on Day 8 of his fast to get the Union government to listen to Ladakhis’ demands had called for citizens across the country to join him on a day-long fast on October 13, which is the last day of festivities of the navratri season, a festival celebrated by Hindus. While he requested citizens to fast in their homes in solidarity with him, and other Ladakhis who are currently put up at Ladakh Bhawan in New Delhi, he had said that people in the city could join him outside the state house in a silent and peaceful sit-in on the day.
Wangchuk and supporters on their peaceful sit-in fast outside Ladakh Bhawan before supporters were dispersed and many others detained by Delhi Police. Photo: Aathira Perinchery/The Wire
Wangchuk and around 150 people had earlier walked from Leh to Delhi in a Climate March, but were detained at Singhu border and kept in detention for nearly two days by the Delhi Police. At Rajghat, and only after a guarantee from the Union home ministry that the government would set up meetings with top leaders – either the prime minister, president or home minister – Wangchuk and the others broke their nearly 48-hour long fasts that they had begun on the night of their detention on September 30. However, they have not received any updates or communication from the Union government since then.
The status quo continues even today, said Paljor of the Leh Apex Body, which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance of Ladakh is supporting the fast. Paljor told The Wire that around 100 people had gathered at Ladakh Bhawan by 11 am on October 13 to fast in solidarity with them.
By then, police erected barricades outside Ladakh Bhawan. Police officials at the location told The Wire that the barricades would be up till 5 p.m. on October 13. Around 60-70 people who were taking part in the fast were accommodated inside the building, and around 30 people were seated in a small park outside the state house, along with Wangchuk, and participating in a silent fast. However, by noon, police dispersed several people who were seated there, saying that they would soon detain them.
A student from Delhi University, who was among the people who were dispersed, told The Wire that they were asked to leave, or be detained, since it was a public place.
Supporters dispersed, detained, denied entry
When asked, police officials at the location told The Wire that Section 163 was in place, and that people could not gather outside Ladakh Bhawan in large numbers as it was a public place. However, supporters argued that they were not protesting, raising slogans or even holding placards, and that it was a silent gathering, as The Wire observed.
“How can the police make us go, this was a very peaceful sitting fast,” said Neha Pradhan, a citizen and Delhi resident who was also dispersed along with others. “I support him in his quest for statehood and the sixth schedule, this is about climate change and the environment.”
A 91-year old freedom fighter, who had come and met Wangchuk at Ladakh Bhawan on October 9, arrived at the location to sit peacefully as part of the fast but was denied entry.
A 91-year-old freedom fighter being refused entry to Ladakh Bhawan or to meet Sonam Wangchuk. Photo: Aathira Perinchery/The Wire
“Beta, they’re not letting me enter. I’m not afraid,” the nonagenarian, holding an Indian flag, was heard speaking to someone on the phone.
After a few minutes, the police forcibly removed the other supporters who were still sitting outside Ladakh Bhawan and shoved them inside a bus. Karma P., a student from Ladakh who lives in Delhi, and was also among the people being taken in a bus, told The Wire that the police told them that they are ‘disturbing peace’ in the area.
“I don’t know where we are being taken,” Karma told The Wire from inside the bus. “We’ve been told that we are disturbing the peace, but we have done nothing of that kind. This is unlawful.”
“Is this a democracy, am I in India or China,” Wangchuk could be heard asking the police as they dispersed people. “In China, protests are allowed at least in designated areas, but you are not permitting even that.”
Wangchuk and his supporters had applied for permission to conduct their indefinite fasts at Jantar Mantar on both October 5 and 6, but the Delhi Police denied permission citing that there was no provision in law to accommodate such a fast, or a fast of any kind, at the location. However, petitions were filed in the Delhi high court and the court has asked the police to respond by October 16.
After this, the press were also denied entry to the area outside Ladakh Bhawan and made to stand outside the barricades around 50 metres away. Several people who were turning up at the time to join the Ladakhis in their fast were also denied entry. Praveen Rao, a Delhi resident and lawyer, was one of them.
“I have come on my birthday to fast in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk and the Ladakhis,” he told The Wire. “This is about the environment and the issues that Ladakh faces, but even for such issues the government is reacting this way. Nothing can get more peaceful than the way the Ladakhis are making their demands, through hunger strikes…but the route of love and compassion is not even being heard by authorities,” Rao told The Wire.
At least 60 supporters detained
The police also did not permit Wangchuk, who had announced on social media that he would be available for interactions with the press at noon, to come outside to the barricades and address media personnel.
People gathered at Ladakh Bhawan. Photo: Aathira Perinchery/The Wire
Paljor, however, came in his stead and spoke to the media. He said that the police had informed them that Section 163 was in place, and that only less than five people could assemble together. Hence only three supporters were now sitting along with Wangchuk on the silent fast outside Ladakh Bhawan. He told The Wire that he didn’t know why, but the police had not detained Wangchuk while the others were taken away. Though Wangchuk had been unwell two days back, his health is now improving, Paljor said.
“But he is still on Day 8 of his fast, along with several others,” Paljor told The Wire. “We are still hopeful that the government will positively react to it. But it is very unfortunate, such a response from the Delhi Police was not needed at this time.”
However, even as Paljor was talking to the media he was dragged back towards the Ladakh Bhawan by the police. “I will speak to the press, you cannot stop me,” he could be heard telling police personnel.
Paljor also later informed The Wire that Delhi Police had detained at least 60 supporters at Mandir Marg police station.