GUWAHATI: Renowned climate activist and engineer Sonam Wangchuk, along with 75 volunteers, embarked on a ‘padyatra’ (foot march) from Leh to Delhi on September 1. They are demanding Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
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Set to conclude on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti will see Wangchuk and his team reaching Delhi to present their proposal directly to the government. Wangchuk emphasised that constitutional protections are essential to the region’s sustainable development for upcoming generations.
This ‘padyatra’ is supported by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). Apart statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, they also want establishment of a Public Service Commission, and the creation of separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil.
The march has gained a lot of momentum, drawing rapport from different societal groups, including retired soldiers, women, and elderly citizens. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has also announced his intention to join the march in October.
The Sixth Schedule, designed to safeguard tribal rights, would provide legislative powers to Ladakh’s local leaders, allowing them to protect the region’s best interests from external pressures.
Despite Wangchuk’s earlier appeals and a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July, the central government has yet to respond.
