Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday described the ongoing stir in the region as a “youth protest” rather than a “Gen Z protest,” while expressing grief over the violence that claimed the lives of several young demonstrators.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, Wangchuk said, “These people call themselves Gen Z, that’s why we said that. Otherwise, I refer to them as youths. Actually, these are the youths.”
The activist began by addressing the deaths of three to five young protesters, noting that the situation escalated after hunger strikers were rushed to hospital in critical condition. “On the 14th day of the fast, nearly 15 people were taken to hospital. This increased public anger, leading to a shutdown and large-scale mobilisation of youths,” he said.
Tensions rose when demonstrators vandalised the BJP office in Leh. “While prayers were being held, several protesters climbed the BJP office roof. Some entered the premises and vandalised property. There were around 2,000 to 3,000 people; the entire road near the council office was packed,” Wangchuk recalled.
Condemning the violence, he said it was a manifestation of long-standing frustration. “This was not an ideal way, but the anger has been building for years. Many youths are educated but unemployed, often ridiculed by families. The political parties here have failed to guide them, and their anger spilled out in this form,” he said.
Wangchuk also highlighted the democratic vacuum in Ladakh after it was made a Union Territory. “There is no platform for people to express themselves. The Sixth Schedule, which was promised, has not been fulfilled,” he said, adding that authorities had tried to silence him through CBI summons, tax cases, and seizure of school land.
When asked if the protest was inspired by events in Nepal, he responded, “I don’t know if they had taken inspiration from Nepal, but the way they come out together, nobody has imagined that.”
The agitation comes amid growing demands in Ladakh for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, demands that have intensified since the abrogation of Article 370. Amid the escalating situation, Wangchuk announced that the hunger strike had been called off.
