The Delhi Police on Monday night detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters at the Singhu border, citing the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at Delhi borders.
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 to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity.
Wangchuk took to X, confirming his detention by the Delhi Police. He wrote, “I AM BEING DETAINED… along with 150 padyatris at Delhi Border, by a police force of hundreds, some say 1,000. Many elderly men & women in their 80s and a few dozen Army veterans… Our fate is unknown. We were on a most peaceful march to Bapu’s Samadhi… in the largest democracy in the world, the mother of democracy… Hai Ram!”
I AM BEING DETAINED…along with 150 padyatrisat Delhi Border, by a police force of 100s some say 1,000.Many elderly men & women in their 80s and few dozen Army veterans…Our fate is unknown.We were on a most peaceful march to Bapu’s Samadhi… in the largest democracy… pic.twitter.com/iPZOJE5uuM— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 30, 2024
The march that was stopped from entering the national capital began on September 1. On reaching Himachal Pradesh on September 14, Wangchuk said, “We are on a mission to remind the government of the promise it made to us five years ago.”
‘Unacceptable’: Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday criticised the Delhi Police’s detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters at the Singhu border, terming it as ‘unacceptable.’
“The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis who were peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.
The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable.Why are elderly citizens being detained at Delhi’s border for standing up for Ladakh’s future?
Modi ji, like with the farmers, this…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 30, 2024
Sec 163 Of BNSS In Delhi
The Delhi Police on Monday banned protests and the gathering of five or more persons in the central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days till October 5, citing law and order issues.
The march led by Wangchuk was initially urged to not enter the Delhi border in the wake of the prohibitory orders but when they didn’t stop, the policemen deployed at the border detained about 120 people, including Wangchuk.
Women participating in the march were not detained, the police sources said, adding that detentions were done given prohibitory orders banning gatherings of five or more persons in north and central Delhi.
The detained people, including Sonam Wangchuk, were taken to Alipur and other police stations, claimed news agency PTI citing Delhi Police sources, adding that they would be released after some time.
Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora directed section 163 (which was earlier section 144 of CrPC) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the districts of New Delhi, North and Central and all police station jurisdictions sharing the borders with other states, according to an order issued from the Delhi Police Headquarters.
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