Ladakh saw violent protests last year over demands for statehood and greater autonomy. Clashes were reported across the region
NEW DELHI: Centre on Tuesday told Supreme Court that all procedural safeguards were followed while ordering detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and action against him was taken for instigating people in the sensitive border area of Ladakh.Continuing with his earlier submission on Monday, solicitor general Tushar Mehta told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale that Wangchuk’s speech was intended to provoke people to indulge in violence against govt and justified his detention under National Security Act.“This court is dealing with a person who is instigating people in a border area, adjacent to Pakistan and China, where regional sensitivity is involved,” he said.Referring to the activist’s speech, the solicitor general said he had stated that Ladakhis could not choose their own representatives while China and Tibet etc have autonomous rights which is highly objectionable.“This is a preventive action so that he doesn’t keep repeating the things he (Wangchuk) said. The detention strikes at the very purpose for which the NSA was enacted. It will have a contextual meaning. Every state has region specific sensitivities,” Mehta said. SC was hearing the plea moved by Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo against his preventive detention.Wangchuk has been detained under the NSA following protests in Leh in Sept 2025 over demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the UT of Ladakh.
