Police Detain Protesters Outside Ladakh Bhawan

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday detained several people from outside the Ladakh Bhawan where climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is leading an indefinite hunger strike since October 6 to press for their demand to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. According to one of the protesters, the detainees have been taken to the Mandir Marg police station. Earlier police said that Sonam Wangchuk was among those detained, but later the New Delhi DCP clarified that the climate activist was not among the detainees.

“We have detained some students from outside the Ladhak Bhawan. Sonam Wangchuk is not among them,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla said.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk said in a video message that the Delhi Police detained several of their supporters, as he questioned why Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) which prohibits unauthorised gatherings is permanently enforced in New Delhi.

“Many people came here today to observe a silent protest. It is really sad that they were detained by Delhi Police. It is sad because in world’s largest democracy, we can’t even hold a silent protest,” Wangchuk said in the message.

“We have been told that Section 163 has been enforced... It is sad that the mother of democracy has such a restriction imposed all through the year. This section is usually enforced temporarily only where there is a chance of law and order getting disrupted,” Wangchuk added.