NEW DELHI: Renowned innovator and climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, embarked on a foot march from Ladakh to Delhi with over 100 volunteers. The march, named the ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra,’ aims to urge the Central Government to resume the stalled dialogue with Ladakh’s leadership on their four-point agenda.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the groups behind the march, have been leading the agitation for the past four years. Their demands include statehood for Ladakh, an extension of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule to the region, an early recruitment process with the establishment of a Public Service Commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.
The movement, which began on Sunday, saw the participation of people from various sections of society, including elders, women, and youngsters. Amid chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “We want Sixth Schedule,” LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang flagged off the march from the NDS Memorial Park in Leh.
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Sonam Wangchuk expressed hope that the government would respond positively by the time they reach Delhi on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2nd. “It is a matter of satisfaction that people from all sections of society have joined this march in support of our demands,” Wangchuk said. “Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and Union Territory with a Legislature is our democratic right as we want development and management of the region per our wishes and aspirations.”
Wangchuk, who previously held a 21-day hunger strike in support of these demands, emphasized that this is a people’s movement. “The government should fulfil the demands of Ladakhis without a second thought,” he added.
Highlighting the strategic importance of Ladakh, he stated, “We are sharing borders with Pakistan and China, who may be boasting about their technology, but I want to tell my country that Indians should be proud of the people of Ladakh, who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation.”
The march follows an announcement by the Central Government on August 26th regarding the establishment of five new districts in Ladakh. The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Wangchuk, in a video shared on his YouTube channel titled, ’30 DAYS DELHI CHALO MARCH BEGINS IN LADAKH | SONAM WANGCHUK’ YouTube video, remarked, “Now, should we be happy or angry about this? It depends on what kind of districts these will be.” He noted that if these districts are democratic and align with the Sixth Schedule, the journey would be to thank the government. However, if they lack public participation, the march will express disappointment.
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Wangchuk elaborated on the journey’s dual purpose. “If these new districts are democratic districts with autonomous councils, where people can send their elected representatives and make decisions as provided in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for all tribal areas, then we are undertaking this journey to thank the government,” he explained. “However, if these districts are only through administration, without public participation, then this journey will also express our anger and dissatisfaction.”
The activist stressed the importance of honouring commitments made to the people of Ladakh, likening the unfulfilled promise of Sixth Schedule protection to a “bounced check” that needs to be honoured. “We are coming to Delhi with this check to encash it,” Wangchuk declared, signalling the community’s determination to hold the government accountable.
The marchers, undeterred by the long journey ahead, are united in their resolve to achieve their objectives. “In the next 30 days, we will meet all of you in Delhi,” Wangchuk concluded in his video, calling on supporters across the country to join their cause and urging the government to act on its promises.
