Sonam Wangchuk seeks President Murmu's intervention in Ladakh
The climate activist accused Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena of conducting a targeted smear campaign against him and other leaders.
Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday urged President Droupadi Murmu to intervene to ensure justice and equal treatment for the people of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, according to The Economic Times.
Wangchuk alleged that Ladakh has become a police state since it was carved out from Jammu and Kashmir as a separate Union Territory in August 2019. He claimed that people in the region lack the rights and democracy enjoyed by the rest of the country.
The activist accused Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena of being directly involved in a targeted smear campaign against him and other leaders. Wangchuk stated that a sting operation by his lawyers established that the LG administration is involved in illegal smear campaigns.
Wangchuk claimed that at least two social media pages, Ladakh Lens and Ladakh VisionOne, are run by the LG's team. He also shared a recorded audio conversation purportedly between his lawyer and a contact of the creative agency running those pages.
The activist alleged that the LG administration is targeting his institute, HIAL, noting that its land lease was cancelled for no reason despite being recommended by a parliamentary committee on education. He also said his kindergarten schools are being asked to submit NoCs not mentioned in government SROs.
Wangchuk stated that policies regarding land, industry, power, and tourism favour corporatisation. He added that he previously shared material with the chief of IB for intervention, but the official stopped responding.