Ladakhi leaders say Wangchuk should be part of the Ladakh-Centre dialogue panel. india news
Srinagar: Ladakhi representatives have said that environmentalists and members of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) Sonam Wangchuk Should be included in the next round of talks with the Centre.Addressing a gathering organized by LAB to welcome Wangchuk in Leh on Sunday, its co-chairman Tsering Dorje LaCrook said any future talks should include the environmentalist, given his prominent role and the public support he enjoys.LaCrook said the Ladakhi representatives were negotiating sincerely and urged the government to respond in the same spirit. He described Wangchuk’s release as a positive step. However, he said, the broader struggle for the demands of Ladakh will continue.He also called for withdrawal of cases against those arrested after the protests in Leh on September 24, 2025, in which four people were killed and around 80 others were injured in police firing. The protesters were demanding its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to provide statehood and greater autonomy for the region.On 14 March, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revoked Wangchuk’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA), stating that “the government is committed to providing all necessary security measures for Ladakh”.The Home Ministry also said that it “hopes that issues relating to the region will be resolved through constructive engagement and dialogue”.Police in Leh had arrested Wangchuk on September 26, 2025 and booked him under the NSA before booking him into Jodhpur jail on charges of inciting violent protests two days earlier.The first round of talks was held between the Home Ministry panel and Ladakhi representatives of LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance on October 22 last year in New Delhi after the Home Ministry ordered a probe into the September 24 firing. The most recent round of talks took place on 4 February but remained inconclusive. Ladakhi leaders have demanded a second round of talks soon.


