Wangchuk's Wife Seeks Supreme Court's Intervention

NEW DELHI: Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has approached the Supreme Court for his immediate release from Jodhpur jail, where he has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) since September 26. This action follows violent protests in Leh on September 24, which resulted in four deaths and numerous injuries, as demonstrators demanded statehood for Ladakh and inclusion in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

Wangchuk was arrested two days after the unrest, with authorities alleging that he incited the violence. He had been leading a hunger strike advocating for Ladakh's statehood at the time of his detention. Angmo expressed her concerns about her husband's well-being on social media, stating, "I have sought relief from the SUPREME COURT OF INDIA through a HABEAS CORPUS petition against @Wangchuk66’s detention. It is one week today. Still I have no information about Sonam Wangchuk’s health, the condition he is in nor the grounds of detention."

In her petition, Angmo has challenged the legality of Wangchuk's detention, claiming it is arbitrary and unconstitutional. She has requested the court to direct the Ladakh administration to produce her husband and allow her access to him. The plea also highlights that Wangchuk was transferred to Jodhpur without proper medical care or personal belongings, and that no grounds for his detention have been provided to him or his family.

Angmo has previously appealed to President Droupadi Murmu, describing the case against her husband as a "witch-hunt" aimed at suppressing his activism. She criticized the government's actions, likening them to colonial oppression, and stated that the situation has caused significant distress among the people of Ladakh, who view Wangchuk as a leader.

The Supreme Court is set to hear the habeas corpus petition on October 6, where it will assess the validity of Wangchuk's detention under the NSA and whether his constitutional rights have been upheld. The case has drawn attention from various social activists, who have protested for Wangchuk's release, emphasizing the need for democratic freedoms and environmental advocacy in the region.