What Triggered 'Gen Z' Protests In Leh, Ladakh? Explained In 10 Points As Govt, Sonam Wangchuk Trade Barbs

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Violence broke out in Leh on September 24 as protesters set fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party office and a CRPF van in the capital of Ladakh. At least four people were killed in the violence and a curfew was imposed in Leh, the largest town and administrative centre of Ladakh.

Before Wednesday's violence, the protests, through hunger strikes, were being held peacefully for last two weeks. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who led the protests with a hunger strike, condemned the violence and said it was an "outburst of the young generation that brought them onto the streets.”

“This was a Gen-Z revolution," Wangchuk said after calling off his protests.

The Union government blamed Wangchuk for“misleading the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal”. The award-winning environmentalist, however, said in TV interviews that the violence in Ladakh was fueled by the BJP's“U-turns” on promises the party had made in 2020 as well as years of joblessness among local youth.

Here are 7 things to know about the developments in Leh, Ladakh:

1-Why is Ladakh protesting?

Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. The other UT is Jammu and Kashmir.

At the time, many, including Sonam Wangchuk, welcomed the move. But within few months, concerns began to mount over what residents described as a political vacuum under the administration of the Lieutenant Governor. This precisely because Ladakh was without a legislature, placing the region under direct central rule.

Jammu and Kashmir, the other UT, was also without an elected government until last year when elections were held and a government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was sworn in.

The growing discontent in Ladakh over statehood aspirations led to to large-scale protests and hunger strikes. In fact, for the first time, political and religious groups from Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil joined hands under a joint platform: the Apex Body of Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance seeking the statehood status for Ladakh.

No major breakthrough during talks

The Union government set up a high-level committee to examine Ladakh's demands. Talks were held without any major breakthrough. In March, a representation from Ladakh, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.

Local leaders claimed that Shah had rejected their core demands.

Since then, Ladakh has witnessed several protests demanding statehood, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, and greater local autonomy to protect its tribal identity and fragile ecosystem.

Ladakh's local bodies like the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been pressing for Ladakh to be converted from a Union Territory (UT) to a state.

Those protesting also want Ladakh included under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which provides constitutional safeguards and greater autonomy to tribal or hill areas.

2-What happened on Wednesday, September 24?

The protests for statehood turned violent witnessing arson and street clashes, leaving four people dead and at least 59 injured , including 22 police personnel on Wednesday

Groups of youths, indulging in arson and vandalism, targeted the headquarters of the BJP in Leh and the Hill Council and set vehicles ablaze. Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, the officials said.

“On 24th September, at around 11.30 AM, a mob instigated by (Sonam Wangchuk's) provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as Government office of the CEC (chief electoral officer), Leh,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in its statement on Wednesday evening.

The statement said the protestors put these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched police vehicle. The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police/CRPF personnel were injured, it added.

“In self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported,” it said adding that barring unfortunate incidents that happened early in the day, the situation is brought under control by 4 PM on Wednesday

3-What was the immediate spark?

Wednesday's shutdown was called after 15 people, who were on a hunger strike, had to be shifted to hospital as their health deteriorated. The youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), the organisation mainly engaging with the MHA in the talks since 2023-24, had called for the shutdown

The LAB leaders said they were not happy with how the MHA set October 6 as the next date on its own. Wangchuk had also said the date was too far when“people have been on hunger strike already for days”.

Many protestors blamed the frustration over delays and perceived inaction by the government.

On a protest day, public offices and vehicles (including a BJP office) were attacked in Leh. That led to clashes with security forces. A curfew was imposed in Leh, and strict assembly bans followed,

4- Why the statehood demand?

When Ladakh became a UT in 2019 and was separated from Jammu and Kashmir, it was left without its own representation in the legislature. Locals argued that the lack of assembly has reduced their ability to govern themselves and protect local interests.

They also complain that job opportunities, land rights, and protections that previously existed are weakening in Ladakh by being reduced to a UT.

Locals also fear that since Ladakh has a fragile ecology, large scale projects (solar, infrastructure, etc.) will put this environment at risk, especially when decision-making is centralised. Another grudge is that decisions on governance and development are taken without taking locals on board.

5- Who was leading the protest?

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk led a hunger strike starting around 10 September, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. When two of the protestors were hospitalised due to deteriorating health, it triggered wider protest action.

The youth wing of LAB called for shutdowns and protests in response.

Wangchuk, a climate activist, is a mechanical engineer by education and was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018. Amir Khan's 'Phunsukh Wangdu' character from the 2009 movie '3 Idiots' is said to be inspired by Wangchuk.

6-What did the government say?

The Union government blamed Wangchuk's“provocative” speeches for the violence. The government said that Wangchuk - the most prominent face of the demand for statehood for Ladakh since 2019 - was“misleading the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protest and references to Gen Z protests in Nepal”.

“On 24th September, at around 11.30 am, a mob instigated by his [Sonam Wangchuk's] provocative speeches left the venue of the hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as Government office of the CEC Leh,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

The government also accused Wangchuk of breaking his fast and leaving for his village“without making effort” to calm the situation down.

“It is clear that the mob was incited by Shri Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation,” the MHA said.

7-How did Sonam Wangchuk respond?

On Wednesday evening in a TV interview, Wangchuk said the violence in Ladakh was fuelled by the BJP's 'U-turns' on promises the party had made in 2020 as well as years of joblessness among local youth. Wangchuk ALSO described Wednesday's violence as“one of the saddest days” of his life.

“For the last five years, we have maintained utmost peace and always peaceful approaches following Mahatma Gandhi's path... But today was something totally unexpected, out of the blue, very organic, when youth came out and went on a rampage,” he told India Today.

The celebrated activist said the violence was triggered by the deteriorating health of fellow hunger strikers. An elderly man and a woman were rushed to hospital on stretchers after their condition turned critical during the protest on Tuesday, a day before the violence broke out.

Wangchuk linked the protests and violence to years of unaddressed demands.“On one hand they have been jobless for the last five years, there have been almost no jobs particularly at the higher levels, and democracy has been curtailed. Their demands have been unmet,” he said dismissing allegations that the protests were orchestrated by political parties.

“I know Congress, they're not so competent that one leader of theirs can call 5,000 people. That would be too much credit of their influence,” Wangchuk said.

8-Did BJP blame the Congress?

Yes, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared photos and videos of the violence in Leh and linked Congress to it.

"This man rioting in Ladakh is Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, Congress Councillor for Upper Leh Ward. He can be clearly seen instigating the mob and participating in violence that targeted the BJP office and the Hill Council," Malviya posted on X.

"Is this the kind of unrest Rahul Gandhi has been fantasising about," asked the BJP leader.

Congress MP and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi had recently exhorted the youth and Gen Z of India to save democracy and the alleged election manipulation.

Rahul's reference to India's Gen Z came soon after violent protests by the young people in Nepal now known as the 'Gen Z protests' led to the fall of the KP Sharma Oli government earlier this month.

9-What did Ladakh L-G, J-K leaders say?

There has been a demand for statehood from Jammu and Kashmir, the other UT bifurcated from the erstwhile state in 2019. The difference is Jammu and Kashmir has an assembly and an elected government led by Omar Abdullah. Ladakh is sans any assembly and is government by a Union government- appointed Lieutenant Governor (LG).

Political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir condemned Wednesday's violence.

“Ladakh wasn't even promised Statehood, they celebrated UT status in 2019 & they feel betrayed & angry. Now try to imagine how betrayed & disappointed we in J&K feel when the promise of statehood to J&K remains unfulfilled even though we have gone about demanding it democratically, peacefully & responsibly,” Abdullah said.

Ladakh L-G Kavinder Gupta said on Wedesday that curfew was imposed across the Leh district of the Union Territory after violent clashes in the cold desert. Gupta. The Lieutenant Governor, a former BJP leader, termed clashes as a conspiracy and blamed protesters for deaths and arson.

"Those who instigated protests are responsible for deaths in Ladakh today," he said.

10- What next?

For now Ladakh is slowly returning to normalcy. The situation has been peaceful since 4 PM, Wednesday. The protests are over and the administration has banned any assembly.

The Union government said the next meeting of the High-Powered Committee has been scheduled on October 6, while meetings are also planned on 25th and 26th September with the leaders from Ladakh.

It is clear that the mob was incited by Shri Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements.

“The demands on whichWangchuk was on hunger strike are integral part of the discussion,” it added.

(With agency inputs)

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