Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the BJP and the RSS of threatening Ladakh’s people, culture, and traditions. He demanded that Ladakh be granted protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, citing last week’s violent clashes in Leh that left four dead and many injured.
In a strongly worded post on X, Gandhi wrote: “Ladakh’s amazing people, culture, and traditions are under attack by the BJP and RSS. Ladakhis asked for a voice. The BJP responded by killing 4 young men and jailing Sonam Wangchuk. Stop the killing. Stop the violence. Stop the intimidation. Give Ladakh a voice. Give them the 6th Schedule.”
Ladakh’s amazing people, culture, and traditions are under attack by the BJP and RSS.
Ladakhis asked for a voice. The BJP responded by killing 4 young men and jailing Sonam Wangchuk.
Stop the killing.
Stop the violence.
Stop the intimidation.Give Ladakh a voice. Give them…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 28, 2025
The post came amid continued tension in Leh, where curfew has been in place for five consecutive days. Officials confirmed that Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta is scheduled to review the security situation to decide on further relaxation of restrictions, news agency PTI reported.
The unrest broke out last Wednesday during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which has been pressing the Centre for statehood and the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. The confrontation turned violent, leading to police firing in which four lives were lost and several others were injured.
On Saturday, authorities allowed a four-hour relaxation in the curfew, but prohibitory measures remained in place as the situation continued to be sensitive.
Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk Detained Under NSA
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, a leading figure in the movement demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards, has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and moved to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.
His arrest has triggered strong reactions from the Opposition. Gandhi accused the BJP of silencing dissent by targeting Wangchuk, while the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir described the detention as a miscalculated move that would not quell the protests.
Congress Points to BJP’s ‘Broken Promises’ For Ladakh Violence
At a press briefing, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Karra blamed the ongoing agitation on what he termed the BJP’s “false promises and betrayal.”
“The agitation is the outcome of the false promises made by the BJP in their manifesto. They had promised the Sixth Schedule (of the Constitution). This agitation is against the betrayal and the unfulfilment of the promises in the last five years,” Karra told reporters, as quoted by PTI.
He added: “Rather than engaging them (people of Ladakh), and acknowledging their own (BJP) mistakes and giving a direction to dialogue, they are targeting the Congress. They are trying to shift the blame for their mismanagement and unfulfilment of the promises towards the Congress.”
Karra clarified that the Congress did not endorse the violence or arson seen in Leh, but extended solidarity to the victims’ families. He further argued that detaining Wangchuk would not stop the demonstrations: “If the Government of India thinks that by arresting Wangchuk and sending him out of the UT, it would curb the violence there, then they are mistaken.”
Pointing to Ladakh’s geostrategic vulnerability, Karra said the BJP was ignoring national security concerns, noting that the region borders Pakistan and China. He also remarked that those now protesting were the same groups who once supported the BJP during the abrogation of Article 370.
Karra also distanced his party from Wangchuk, recalling that while his father was once a deputy minister in the J-K government, he was suspended in 1987. “Since then, they have had no relationship with Congress. All the brothers and sisters are working with the BJP. One of Wangchuk’s brothers is a vice president of the BJP’s Leh unit,” Karra said.
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