By Parika Singh
Renowned environmentalist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger fast at the Bawana police station when he was detained at the Singhu border last night along with 150 people from Ladakh.
Wangchuk undertook the Delhi Chalo Padyatra from Leh on September 2 last month along with several Ladakhi men, women, and senior citizens who traversed dangerous terrains and harsh weather conditions to culminate this 1000 km journey at Rajghat on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. However, in the late hours of September 30, 2024 Delhi police detained him and all the people marching peacefully with him to prevent them from exercising their democratic rights.
https://x.com/Wangchuk66/status/1838990420908327291
Prior to their arrest, Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nyay Suraksha Samhita (BNSS) was imposed in North and Central Delhi until October 5 which applies to urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger. Such a section imposed on citizens of India walking within their country non-violently raises questions on the value accorded to constitutional rights by the Central Administration.
Interestingly, the order dated 30.09.2024 was issued on account of “inputs received that multiple organizations have given calls for holding and organizing various events in the nature of protests/ demonstrations/ campaigns in the territory of Delhi, in the first week of October 2024”. It was evident that the prevention of assembly of five or more persons, prevention of dharnas, and prohibition of banners or placards along with weaponry, was entirely in place to curb the exercise of fundamental rights in the city.
Unfortunately, this was directly in contrast to the faith demonstrated in the system by the marchers from Ladakh throughout the month.
In an exclusive interview with The Womb, Mr Wangchuk had expressed immense expectation when asked about his reception in Delhi. He had hoped that a sensitive government, conscious of its citizens’ needs would respond favourably to their genuine and peaceful requests. He had felt India had showcased the path of non-violent protests to the rest of the world through the leadership and resistance of Mahatma Gandhi and had pertinently chosen his birth anniversary as symbolic of Ladakh’s struggles and fight for statehood.
Additionally, the Padyatra aimed to highlight the critical environmental and employment issues faced by the residents of the two districts of Leh and Kargil. To alleviate those issues, they attempted to demand inclusion in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, two representatives in the Lok Sabha, and recruitment in the Public Service Commissions (PSCs) through this march.
But his optimism quickly turned to disheartenment and fear when he posted about his imminent arrest on X, after he found himself surrounded by several policemen at the Delhi-Haryana border. “I AM BEING DETAINED… along with 150 padyatris at 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 in the world, the mother of democracy… Hai Ram!”
https://x.com/Wangchuk66/status/1840798055911563284
The large group was taken to multiple police stations such as Bawana, Narela, Alipur, etc, where they have been kept ever since. No one has been permitted to speak to them including their lawyers and surprisingly, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena was also prevented from meeting Wangchuk earlier today. As reported in the Deccan Herald, Ladakh MP Mohmad Haneefa claimed women marchers were also detained overnight with men, although the Delhi police have refuted this claim.
Their release and right to protest have also been pled in the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi through a PIL filed on October 1. The matter was mentioned for urgent hearing but a division bench of the Delhi High Court has kept it for hearing on October 3.
Notably, the group from Ladakh had officially requested permission to peacefully protest from Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah at Jantar Mantar on October 3. Instead of accepting their sincere request to discuss the situation in Ladakh, Section 163 of BNSS was imposed in the region to dissuade them and anyone along with them who wished to follow in the footsteps of the Father of our Nation from expressing their concerns during the week bracketing October 2.
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As news of their detention spread, protests erupted in Ladakh against the treatment meted out to their padyatris in the capital of their country.
While the central government chooses to disregard the plight of the Union Territory of Ladakh and the people walking to Delhi to communicate it, this incident also highlights a larger issue of the complete inability of ordinary citizens to bridge this autocratic gap and reach their democratically elected government. Shayad ab Dilli bahut dur hai (Perhaps Delhi is too far now).
