Actor Prakash Raj visits climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on hunger strike in Ladakh

Leh, Mar 26 (PTI) Actor Prakash Raj on Tuesday visited climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on hunger strike for nearly three weeks here to demand statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Raj, a vocal critic of the ruling BJP, extended his support to the Wangchuk-led protest and said when the governments do not keep their promises, the people have no option but to unite and raise their voice in accordance with their constitutional rights.

“It’s my birthday today .. and I’m celebrating by showing solidarity with @Wangchuk66 and the people of Ladakh who are fighting for us .. our country .. our environment and our future let’s stand by them,” he wrote on X.

Talking to reporters after meeting Wangchuk at the protest site, Raj said “we have heard from the people and the scientists that they have been promised (sixth schedule by BJP) and when we remind them (of their promise) they are seeing them as criminals”.

“They (politicians) are making big promises and generating false hopes at election times but later when they take our votes, they don’t look back for next five years. They have nothing to do with us, we are fools to trust their words,” Raj said.

He said the only way is to unite and raise the voice to seek answers from the government and its promises because that is the right of the public.

“If they have promised it in the manifesto and took votes but later betrayed, where will we go? we have to fight (for our rights),” Raj said.