“How can police detain them for more than 24 hours?” KC Venugopal criticises detention of Sonam Wangchuk

New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal hit out at the BJP government for detaining a group of citizens from Ladakh, including activist Sonam Wangchuk who were peacefully marching from Ladakh to Rajghat in Delhi over their demands which consists of inclusion of Ladakh under the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. He asked how can the police detain them for more than 24 hours.

KC Venugopal said, “I don’t understand the manner in which the government is going. Sonam Wangchuk is a very respectable personality of Ladakh. People respect him all over India. They have planned a peaceful march from Ladakh to Rajghat. They hav been walking from Ladakh but not a single incident happened. Many Congress leaders have also been detained with them.”

He further said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to Commissioner of Police Delhi but he got the answer that this is the order from top officials.

He further said, “They are asking for their legitimate rights that Ladakh should be in the 6th schedule. Lot of issues are happening due to climate change. Government has to interfere on that. In a democratic setup, everyone has the right to protest. They are only raising their issues. Government should have a conversation with them and solve the issue. Government is not allowing them to protest at Rajghat. How can the police detain them for more than 24 hours? Which rule is allowing them to detain?”

Earlier President of the Indian National Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticized the BJP government for detaining a group of citizens from Ladakh, including activist Sonam Wangchuk who were peacefully marching to Delhi.

Kharge in a post on X, said that the detention of the protesters was a “cowardly action” and was “deeply undemocratic in nature”

“The arrogance of the Modi Govt consumed in power has detained a group of citizens from Ladakh peacefully marching to Delhi.

This is nothing but a cowardly action, and is deeply undemocratic in nature. In Ladakh, there is a growing wave of public support, with widespread calls for safeguarding tribal communities under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Instead, the Modi Govt wants to exploit the ecologically sensitive Himalayan glaciers of Ladakh to benefit its crony friends.

This incident tells us that the fight against Modi Govt’s brazen despotism is far from over!” Kharge wrote in a post on X.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border on Monday night. Section 163 of the BNS has been imposed at Delhi borders, said Delhi Police.

Wangchuk and other volunteers were embarking on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh’s leadership regarding their demands.

One of their key demands is for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity.