Leh (Ladakh) [India], September 30 : Wife of education reformist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, Gitanjali J Angmo, has slammed the police after allegations were made against her husband in connection with recent unrest in Leh, claiming a "fabricated" narrative has been created to avoid implementing the sixth schedule and make someone a scapegoat.
"We strongly condemn the DGP's statements. Not only I, but everyone in Ladakh denounces those allegations," Angmo told ANI.
Describing the events as "very unfortunate," she questioned the role of security forces. "We ask: Who gave the CRPF orders to open fire? Who shoots at their own people, their own citizens? Especially in an area where there has never been a violent demonstration," she said.
Rejecting claims that her husband had instigated any unrest, she insisted Wangchuk was engaged in peaceful protest elsewhere, saying, "What could Sonam Wangchuk have instigated? He had no idea about all this. He was somewhere else, where he was on a hunger strike."
She also accused the police of working with an "agenda".
"Whatever the DGP is saying, he has an agenda. They don't want to implement the 6th Schedule under any circumstances and want to make someone a scapegoat," she alleged.
Angmo stated that the curfew imposed on the pretext of "youth protest" is condemnable, claiming that it was "peace-loving," and that it was the CRPF's use of tear gas that inhibited the protest from being peaceful.
"Whatever has happened in Leh over the past six days and in the first four years is a very sad and unfortunate incident. No one is more peace-loving, patriotic, and nationalist than the people of Leh... First of all, imposing curfew in such areas is absolutely wrong, and we condemn it. Secondly, we condemn the reason given for this curfew, which is the youth protest. Because the youth were protesting in a peace-loving manner that day. Had the CRPF not used tear gas, this would have been a very peaceful protest..." Wanghchuk's wife said.
Meanwhile, Prohibitions under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, continue to be imposed in Leh following the violence on September 24. Assembling five or more persons is prohibited in the district; no procession, rally, or march is to be carried out without prior written approval.
Security personnel remain deployed across Leh. People of Ladakh have been demanding the inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
A total of 44 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals.