Sonam Wangchuk seeks Amit Shah’s resignation over Leh violence, ‘meeting’ fears could be killed – What we know | Today’s news

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk expressed fears that he could be killed in an “encounter” for speaking out against the government. Wanghuk also demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over last year’s Leh violence that killed four people, news agency PTI reported on September 24.

Addressing a rally marking the first anniversary of the September 24 violence during last year’s protests over demands for statehood and Sixth Plan guarantees, Wangchuk said he had received warnings about his life being threatened and was ready to face any outcome if it served to awaken the nation.

“They put me in jail. Now there’s even a possibility that they might meet me somewhere. People say to me: ‘You’re going to crash’. If it happens, let it happen – so that the country wakes up,” the activist said on September 24.

On 24 September 2025, four civilians were killed in Leh, Ladakh during violent clashes between security forces and protesters demanding statehood and tribal status under the Sixth Schedule.

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Wangchuk also demanded that the judicial inquiry report be made public and warned that an independent “people’s tribunal” would be set up to investigate the police shooting if the report was not made public, the agency said.

MHA query

The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered a judicial inquiry led by former Supreme Court judge Justice BS Chauhan into the circumstances that led to the 24 September 2025 law and order situation, the police action and the death of four people.

Wangchuk held the interior minister politically responsible for the deaths during last year’s agitation and said responsibility for the incident must be established.

“Today, from Ladakh, I say – Amit Shah should step down. He must take responsibility for what happened in Ladakh,” Wangchuk said, claiming that security personnel used automatic weapons, including AK-47s, against local youth, who were subsequently branded “anti-national”.

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for Shah’s resignation over police action against students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Wangchuk supported the call but questioned Gandhi’s silence on the situation in Ladakh.

“Rahul Gandhi stood up and asked how such weapons can be used against students and demanded the resignation of Amit Shah. I support it,” Wangchuk said.

“But if he demanded Amit Shah’s resignation earlier, what happened to what happened in Ladakh where AK-47s were used and people were killed by bullets hitting their heads and chests?” he said.

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Referring to deaths during last year’s protests, he claimed protesters were killed by automatic weapons fire.

“A year ago, when the youth of Ladakh were trapped in such a situation, their lives were taken and subsequently they were labeled as anti-national. Today I say that those responsible must take responsibility,” he said.

Wangchuk also linked the violence to long-standing demands of Ladakh, including constitutional guarantees, and claimed that assurances given to the people were subsequently not fulfilled.

He said that justice for Ladakh is not only the responsibility of the people of the Union Territory but of the entire country.

A traffic shutdown was observed in Leh and other parts of Ladakh on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the September 24 violence. Shops and businesses remained closed in Leh and Kargil while traffic on roads was light, affecting normal life. The day was observed by some in Ladakh as “Martyrs’ Day”.

Wangchuk claimed that heavy security deployments and restrictions contributed to the relatively low public turnout for Thursday’s commemoration.

“False, baseless and misleading”

“People are afraid because there are barricades everywhere and armed personnel are deployed in villages and at crossings,” he said, adding that some village officials and students were discouraged from attending programs commemorating the slain.

According to him, the limited participation should not be interpreted as a defeat of the movement.

Ladakh police, who dismissed the allegations as “false, baseless and misleading”, said no one was prevented from attending a prayer meeting organized to commemorate the victims of the violence in 2025, adding that the security deployment was part of standard protocols.

Police said the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) was duly granted permission to hold a public meeting at the NDS ground in Leh, which has a capacity of 10,000 people.

“This event saw a limited turnout, with less than 800 people attending… Police did not prevent any individual from proceeding to the venue or participating in the event,” police said in a statement, clarifying that the barricades in the city area were strictly part of traffic and crowd measures put in place after organizers initially planned a large gathering.

Wangchuk said Ladakh chose to stay in India because he believed in democracy and the right to a dignified life.

He alleged that the situation in Ladakh had created an atmosphere of fear and said it was against the democratic aspirations with which people had chosen India.

The activist said that the country was doing well from 2014 to 2019 when they (BJP) came to power.

“Ever since he became the home minister, there have been riots and riots everywhere and in Ladakh promises have been made and then broken,” he said, attacking Shah.

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“Ladakh had China on one side and India on the other. Ladakh chose India because we believed that there is democracy in India, we will be able to live with our heads held high,” Wangchuk said.

“And today Ladakh is being subjected to such oppression that, in my opinion, not even China is doing it to Tibet,” he added.

Wangchuk said claims that the September 2025 shooting during the incident was carried out in self-defense should also be investigated.

“Unarmed people who were peacefully demanding their rights were shot indiscriminately. Four people were killed in this shooting. The bullets did not hit their legs, people were hit in the chest and back,” the agency quoted him as saying.

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Wangchuk further claimed that the three judges present that day refused to sign the release orders, claiming that they were subsequently pressured. He said these allegations should be looked into by a commission of inquiry.

I say – Amit Shah should resign. He must take responsibility for what happened in Ladakh.

The activist named the four deceased as Linchen Dadul of Han, Tigment Dorje of Kharnaag, Salwin Namgyal of Egoo and Sandin Dorje of Shitman and demanded justice for them, the agency said.

“Justice must be given to the martyrs. Justice must be given to Ladakh,” he said.