NEW DELHI: Educationalist-turned-climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday called off his 15-day hunger strike after the demonstrations demanding statehood for Ladakh turned violent.”I am sad to inform you that there was vandalism in Leh during a protest. Many offices and police vehicles were vandalised and burned. A bandh was announced in Leh, but the youth came in large numbers. This was youth’s anger, a Gen-Z revolution,” Wangchuk said as teargas shells were heard in the backdrop.Here are the top developmentsAdministration bans protestsDM Leh imposed Section 163 of the BNS, banning gatherings of five or more, processions without approval, and statements that may disturb public peace.”It has been brought to my notice that there is apprehension of disturbances to public peace and tranquillity, danger to human life and a possibility of law and order problem in the jurisdiction of District Leh. And whereas, I am satisfied that immediate prevention and remedial measures are necessary to maintain public order and tranquillity,” Leh’s district administration said.The DM also imposed a ban on processions, rally without prior written approval of the competent authority. BJP office set ablazeThis comes after agitators torched the BJP office in the city, pelted stones and clashed with police. Flames and dark smoke clouds could be seen from afar amid a complete shutdown in the Ladakh capital.Reinforcements were rushed to the scene and the situation was brought under control after several hours of intense clashes, officials monitoring the situation added.The protest call was given by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) to express solidarity with environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike for the past 14 days.Responding to the protest call, Leh town shut down and large crowds assembled at the NDS memorial ground and later took out a march through the streets of the town, chanting slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood, officials said.Why is Ladakh burning?Protest in the Union Territory is gathering pace demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh which was carved out from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.The Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, meant for the tribal population of the four northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam, makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of president and the governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms and financial powers exercised through autonomous councils.The Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were shifted to a hospital after their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening.Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks is scheduled between the ministry of home affairs and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6.Former MP and LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang, who had resigned from the body after the last round of talks on May 27, has returned to the helm and is likely to lead the joint delegation during the negotiations. Go to Source
