New Delhi: A supporter of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk shaved his head outside a Delhi Police Station to protest against the detention of Wangchuk. Wangchuk, along with 120 people from Ladakh marched to the national capital demanding sixth schedule status for the Union Territory. They were detained by the Delhi Police at the city’s border and were later released. After his release, Wangchuk said that the Union Home Ministry has assured him of a meeting with either the Prime Minister or President soon to address his concerns.
After Wangvhuk was detained, his supporter Hassan Tamanna, a resident of Kargil, sat outside the Bawana Police Station and shaved his head with a trimmer. Wangchuk and his followers were held at Bawana station since their detention on Monday. Wangchuk was leading the 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', which began from Leh a month ago.
He had a poster that read, "Why are Ladakhis denied to have peaceful protest for their rights in Indian democracy?"
"My name is Hassan Tamanna, and I am from Kargil. I participated in Sonam Wangchuk's padyatra," Tamanna said in a video shared by news agency PTI. "However, to see how democracy has been killed here after he, along with others, was detained, I have shaved off my head to protest."
VIDEO | "My name is Hassan Tamanna and I am from Kargil… I participated in Sonam Wangchuk's padyatra. However, to see how democracy has been killed here after he, along with others, was detained, I have shaved off my head to protest over this," said one of the supporters of… pic.twitter.com/0xpagP185C
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 2, 2024
Wangchuk and the other participants of 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra' wanted to spend the night at the Singhu border. They were initially requested to go back as prohibitory orders were imposed in Delhi but when they did not stop, the policemen who were already deployed at the border, detained about 120 men, including Wangchuk.
Delhi Police said that the protesters were initially released on Tuesday night but were re-detained when they tried to march towards central Delhi and were finally released on Wednesday. Following his release, Wangchuk paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial Rajghat on Wednesday evening. The group gave a memorandum to the government listing their demands, and have been assured of a meeting with top leadership soon, Wangchuk said, adding they have ended their fast.
The Opposition leaders had condemned the Delhi Police's action. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called Wangchuk's detention "unacceptable".
“The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable. Why are elderly citizens being detained at Delhi’s border for standing up for Ladakh’s future?” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.