Wangchuk Denied Permit for Jantar Mantar, Sits on Fast at Ladakh Bhawan

New Delhi: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday sat on a fast at the Ladakh Bhavan where he was staying after the protesters were denied permission to stage the protest at Jantar Mantar for Ladakh’s Sixth Schedule status.

Wangchuk, in a brief interaction with the media before starting the fast, said they were forced to stage the protest at the Ladakh Bhavan after failing to find any venue for their stir.

About 20 people, including Wangchuk, sat close to the gate of the Ladakh Bhavan, singing the Hindi version of 'We Shall Overcome', and raised slogans such as 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Jai Ladakh ‘ and ‘Save Ladakh, Save Himalaya’.

Sharing a copy of the letter sent by the Delhi police rejecting his request to stage the protest at Jantar Mantar, Wangchuk, in a post on X, said, “Another rejection, another frustration. Finally this morning we got this rejection letter for the officially designated place for protests.”

“If Jantar Mantar is not allowed, please tell us which place is allowed. We want to abide by all laws and still express our grievances in a peaceful way. Why is it so difficult to follow the path of Gandhi in his own country? There must be a way,” he said.

In the letter, the Delhi police said the request was received at a “very short notice,” and no specific time frame was mentioned about the gathering. As per guidelines, applications for holding any demonstration at Jantar Mantar must be sent at least 10 days prior to the planned event to be held strictly between 10 am and 5 pm.

Taking a cue from poet Mirza Ghalib, Wanghchuk said, “Anshan karne de Jantar Mantar pe baith kar, ya wo jagah bata jaha dafa na ho (let us sit on fast at Jantar Mantar, or tell us a place where there is no section imposed).” “There should be a discussion as to why there is no such place in a democracy where people can sit peacefully and share their pain,” he said in the message.