Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Breaks Silence On 'Pakistan Link' Charge, NSA Against Activist - 'Not A Threat To Any...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, refuted allegations of "Pakistan link" and financial irregularities levelled against the jailed activist. Wangchuk was arrested on Saturday, after being accused of inciting the violence in Leh on September 24.

Gitanjali termed the allegation against Wangchuk as“misplaced” and claimed that he has been protesting in the“most Gandhian way possible.”

She added that the "situation escalated" on September 24 due to the actions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Four people were killed and 90 others were injured after protests over the demand for Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh turned violent in Leh last Wednesday.

Sonam Wangchuk arrested

Two days after the protest, police detained climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). Later, he was officially arrested. Wangchuk has been lodged in prison in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Wangchuk is a key figure in the five-year-long agitation for Ladakh's rights. His detention drew strong reactions from different quarters.

Ladakh DGP SD Singh Jamwal said Wangchuk is being probed for allegedly having links with Pakistan on the back of last month's arrest of a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO) who sent videos of his protests across the border.

The police chief also cited some of Wangchuk's“suspicious” foreign trips, including to Pakistan to attend an event by The Dawn.

Gitanjali refutes allegations 1. On Pakistan visit

Gitanjali Angmo, the co-founder of Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), told news agency PTI that their recent visit to the neighbouring country was purely professional and climate-focused.

She also denounced the allegations of Pakistan links involving her husband, saying that all of Wangchuk's overseas visits were made on the invitation of reputed universities and institutions.

"We attended a conference organised by the United Nations, and it was on climate change. The glacier on the top of the Himalayas is not going to see whether I'm flowing into Pakistan or India," she told PTI.

She said the 'Breathe Pakistan' conference held in February was organised by the United Nations Pakistan and Dawn Media, and involved multinational cooperation.

“There are organisations like the ICIMOD, which bring together all eight Hindu Kush countries and work on different issues. We are part of the ICIMOD's [International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development] Himalayan University Consortium," Angmo said.

The ICIMOD is a Nepal-based organisation founded in 1983 comprising eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

“I was also there to present a paper on women's role in climate change... In fact, he [Wangchuk] praised Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi on stage at the event," Gitanjali said.

“The Nepal and Bangladesh reference being bandied around is actually an example Sonam gave, i.e., 'when governments are not responsive, it leads to a revolution'. We should avoid the interpretations,” she said.

2. On stringent NSA

Gitanjali Angmo challenged the stringent NSA charges imposed against Wangchuk. It allows detention without a trial for up to 12 months, citing his long record of peaceful protests.

“I think it is a very wrong charge. Sonam certainly is not a threat to any public order,” Angmo was quoted by PTI as saying.

She claimed that Wangchuk advocated for his cause in the "most Gandhian way possible" over the last five years, reminding the government of its promises to Ladakhis.

3. On allegation that Wangchuk incited Ladakh violence

Gitanjali Angmo maintained that the protest organised by the Leh Apex Body was peaceful, and the charge that Wangchuk incited the violence was misplaced.

"We have videos to show that the students and the youth were just there for a peaceful protest. Sonam did not even know about [a non-peaceful plan]," she claimed.

"He only knew about a peaceful protest. But when the CRPF personnel fired tear gas shells, the youth reacted by pelting stones, and the whole situation escalated," she added.

3. On Wangchuk's 'provocative' speech

On the allegation that Wangchuk made a provocative speech, Angmo claimed his Ladakhi words were taken out of context and mistranslated.

“He just said that 'when change has to happen, it can start with one individual, or with the death of one individual and that individual could be me; I'm happy to give my life for it'," she said.

4. Questions on CRPF

Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali Angmo questioned the response by the security forces, saying, "My question is, who gave the CRPF the right to open fire? Why should you open fire on your own people, on your own youth?"

5. Wangchuk as 'anti-national'

Gitanjali Angmo further questioned the logic behind the alleged attempt to portray Wangchuk as an anti-national.

She said,“How can you portray a person as anti-national who has been talking about making shelters for the Indian Army, and boycotting Chinese goods?”

Angmo stressed that Wangchuk is not against development, but is advocating for the Sixth Schedule to give locals a say in "mindful development".

6. On financial irregularities

On the charges of financial irregularities involving their institutions, Angmo presented a detailed defence about the foreign funding of HIAL, UGC registration, FCRA cancellation of SECMOL and land allotment.

Angmo denied that HIAL took donations from abroad without Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) clearance, claiming the funds were payments for their technologies.

“We have the service agreements, which say this is a consulting assignment that we're giving to HIAL for which we will be paying them,” she said.

She also said that HIAL does not charge its 400 students any fees and raises its running costs through innovations such as ice stupas and passive solar buildings, noting they do not patent their technologies, leaving them free for public use.

Angmo said HIAL applied for UGC registration in 2022 and paid a deposit amount of ₹15 lakh, but“if at all the registration has not happened, it's because they are stalling it”.

She also claimed that the lease for HIAL's land is held up because the UT administration did not have a category for such institutions, adding that“while questions are being raised on HIAL, the Sindhu Central University, which started in 2021, still doesn't have a building”.

She pointed to HIAL's suggestion to use translucent solar panels in Changtang to grow fodder for Pashmina goats alongside electricity production.

“This kind of mindful development is what he's talking about... HIAL is at the forefront of innovation. It is not that he's anti-development," Angmo said.

After the September 4 violence, the Union home ministry cancelled the FCRA licence granted to the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organisation founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies.

7. 'Not been able to communicate with my husband'

Angmo told PTI that she has not been able to communicate with her husband since his detention and dismissed all allegations against the climate activist and their institutions.

Claiming that they have not been handed over a copy of the detention order, Angmo said,“They promised to send it on Friday. We will take legal recourse.”

(With inputs from PTI)

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