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| One month after NSA revocation, Sonam Wangchuk seeks fresh dialogue date | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 13: Climate activist and Ladakh leader Sonam Wangchuk on Monday called on the Union Government to break the prolonged silence over stalled negotiations, urging it to announce a date for the next round of talks between Ladakh's agitation groups and the High-Powered Committee (HPC) of the Ministry of Home Affairs — exactly one month after the unconditional revocation of his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
Taking to social media under the evocative heading "Hanging Between Trust & Mistrust – Ladakh Awaits Dialogue," Wangchuk expressed growing concern over the absence of any forward movement in the dialogue process, even as uncertainty continues to grip the sensitive border region.
"Today marks exactly one month since the unconditional revocation of my detention under the NSA, 1980. The revocation order gave us hope that the Centre was willing to correct past mistakes, as it spoke of 'building mutual trust' for a 'constructive and meaningful dialogue.' However, even after 2.5 months since the last dialogue on February 4, not even a date for the next round of talks has been announced," Wangchuk wrote on X, also sharing a screenshot of the official government handout issued at the time of his release.
Raising alarm over the widening trust deficit, he warned that vested interests were exploiting the prolonged pause in dialogue to stoke communal tensions between the Leh and Kargil communities. "Shady entities are using this gap to sow seeds of a Leh–Kargil (Buddhist–Muslim) divide," he cautioned.
Describing the mood in Ladakh as one of growing disillusionment, Wangchuk made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to take timely and decisive steps — in the national interest — to address the region's long-pending demands.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had revoked Wangchuk's detention on March 14 — a day after Vinai Kumar Saxena assumed charge as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. In its official statement, the Ministry had underscored the government's commitment to fostering "an environment of peace, stability, and mutual trust" in Ladakh, with a view to enabling "constructive and meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders."
While welcoming the release, the statement had also noted that the prevailing climate of bandhs and protests had proven "detrimental to the peace-loving character of society," adversely impacting students, job aspirants, businesses, tour operators, tourists, and the broader economy of the region.
The government had reiterated its commitment to addressing Ladakh's aspirations through established mechanisms, including the High-Powered Committee and other appropriate platforms.
Wangchuk had been detained on September 26, 2025 — two days after unprecedented violence erupted in Leh town on September 24 — under the provisions of the NSA, on orders issued by the District Magistrate, Leh, in the interest of maintaining public order. By the time of his release, he had already served nearly half of the permissible detention period under the Act.
With Ladakh's core demands — including statehood and Sixth Schedule protections — still unresolved, and the next round of talks yet to be scheduled, pressure is mounting on the Centre to honour the spirit of the commitments made at the time of his release. |
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