Ladakh protests: Sonam Wangchuk’s wife moves Supreme Court against his arrest, ...
In a significant development amid the ongoing unrest in Ladakh, education reformist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has approached the Supreme Court, challenging her husband’s arrest and the invocation of the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against him. The petition, filed, seeks Wangchuk’s immediate release and questions the legality of the detention.According to Angmo, the authorities have not yet provided a copy of the detention order, making the action against her husband arbitrary and in clear violation of established legal safeguards. “We are yet to receive a copy of the order under which my husband has been detained. This is against the rules and deprives us of the right to seek effective legal remedies,” Angmo has stated in her petition.
She has further alleged that there has been no communication with Wangchuk since his detention. “I have had no contact with my husband. This makes the entire process more opaque and raises serious concerns about his well-being and the legality of his custody,” Angmo said, underlining that the family has been kept in the dark about his condition and the grounds of his detention.
Wangchuk, known globally for his work on sustainable development and as the inspiration behind the film character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots, has been at the forefront of protests in Ladakh. Over the past several months, he has led demonstrations demanding statehood for the Union Territory and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to protect the fragile Himalayan ecology and the rights of indigenous people.
His sudden arrest earlier this week, reportedly under the NSA, has sparked sharp reactions not just in Ladakh but also among civil society groups, academics, and activists across the country. The NSA allows detention of individuals without trial for up to a year if authorities believe they pose a threat to national security or public order. Critics argue that its frequent use against activists and dissenters undermines constitutional freedoms.
ALSO READ
[*]MHA grants permission for Sonam Wangchuk's family to meet him in Jodhpur jail
[*]Ladakh’s struggle for autonomy six years after Article 370
[*]Leh Apex Body boycotts MHA talks amid Ladakh unrest and protester deaths
Angmo’s move to the Supreme Court marks the first legal challenge to Wangchuk’s detention. Her plea argues that the slapping of the NSA against a non-violent activist is excessive, disproportionate, and politically motivated. She has also drawn attention to the fact that Wangchuk’s activism has always been peaceful and within democratic means, focused on environmental sustainability and community rights.
The Supreme Court is expected to take up Angmo’s petition next week. If admitted, the case will test once again the judiciary’s scrutiny of preventive detention laws, particularly in contexts where they are used against activists rather than individuals accused of violent acts.
Pages:
[1]