GUWAHATI: Renowned climate activist and advocate for education reform, Sonam Wangchuk, concluded his 21-day hunger strike on Tuesday, during which he sustained himself solely on salt and water, advocating for Ladakh's statehood and the preservation of the Himalayan environment.
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However, Wangchuk emphasised that this marked only the conclusion of the initial phase of his protest, affirming his commitment to persist in his cause.
Initiating his fast on March 6, Wangchuk, whose life inspired the character Phunsukh Wangdu in the 2009 film '3 Idiots', had initially declared his intention to continue for 21 days, possibly extending it to the point of death.
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Updating his status on social media platform X, Wangchuk mentioned that around 7,000 individuals had gathered as he concluded his fast. In his post, he stated, "I'll be back... 7,000 people gathered today. It was the end of the 1st leg of my fast. By the way, 21 days was the longest fast Gandhi ji kept."
Accompanying the post was a video where he conveyed in Hindi, "Today marks an important milestone. The first phase has concluded, yet the hunger strike persists. Following me, women will commence a 10-day fast tomorrow, followed by youth and Buddhist monks. Subsequently, it could be women again or myself returning. This cycle shall continue. Approximately 6,000 individuals, representing all faiths, joined me in a one-day fast."
Wangchuk also remarked, "I am optimistic that our outcry will resonate and reach the authorities. Over the past few weeks, an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 individuals have congregated here and expressed their solidarity. While I anticipate the continuation of our hunger strike, my greater hope lies in the government acknowledging the people's voice and fulfilling its commitments."
Earlier on Tuesday, Wangchuk had urged the Union government to exhibit resolve and address Ladakh's populace's demands. In a video shared on X, he symbolically referred to a frozen glass of water, underscoring the challenging conditions amidst which 350 individuals had joined him in fasting despite temperatures plummeting to -10 degrees Celsius.
"We aim to awaken the conscience of our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Home Minister, Amit Shah, regarding the protection of the fragile Himalayan ecosystem in Ladakh and the preservation of its distinct indigenous tribal cultures," Wangchuk conveyed in the video.
"We do not merely perceive PM Modi and Amit Shah as politicians; instead, we implore them to embody statesmanship. However, for this aspiration to materialise, they must demonstrate integrity and foresight," he emphasised.
Following the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, comprising Leh and Kargil districts, emerged as a distinct Union Territory on August 5, 2019. Subsequently, significant protests and hunger strikes unfolded in the region earlier this year after leaders from Leh and Kargil, representing Buddhist and Muslim communities respectively, united to demand statehood and safeguard the rights of the majority tribal population under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Despite the formation of a high-level committee by the Centre to address these demands, successive meetings with protest representatives failed to yield a breakthrough. On March 4, leaders from the Union Territory met with Home Minister Amit Shah, reporting his refusal to accede to the people's demands. Two days later, Wangchuk commenced his fast in Leh as a form of protest.