Sonam Wangchuk Joins Women's Hunger Strike, Declares Pashmina March on April 7 (Photo screengrab on X Sonam Wangchuk @Wangchuk66)

Engineer-turned-climate activist Sonam Wangchuk today announced that he joined the women’s 10-day fast after he ended his 21-day hunger strike in Leh on March 26. The reformist started his fast on March 6 seeking the attention of the government on the importance of preserving Ladakh’s mountain ecology among others demands. The 57-year-old activist also declared his next Pashmina March on April 7.

The Pashmina March aims to bring the attention of the people to the destruction of the land to the industrial projects in the tribal region. Sonam Wangchuk says that the Pashmina March is against the loss of local land due to the “Chinese encroachment” and corporate activities. Talking about the Pashmina March, Mr Wangchuk said that from five to ten thousand people will be joined in the March to the border region to raise their concern over the encroachment

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) Sonam Wangchuk wrote, “After a day”s rest, I joined the women”s fast today. Next, it”s the Pashmina March on 7th April… on the lines of Gandhi ji”s Dandi March”

He also urged people to join Ladakh on the 7th. “While we do the Pashmina March here, you can do your own Marches to show “destruction in the name of development” in your own areas,” he wrote. 

In the video message he shared, he explained that they were there to remind the government of the promise it made to the tribal indigenous community living in the hilly region. He says that during the elections, the ruling party pledged to protect their land under the sixth schedule. “After they won the elections, they flinched, and declined to keep their promises.” He further said that they failed to restore democracy too. “Today Ladakh has no democratic forum, no assembly, no elected representative, and we are ruled by bureaucrats from New Delhi,” he said. 

JOINED THE WOMEN”S 10 DAY”S FAST
After a day”s rest I joined the women”s fast today.
Next it”s the Pashmina March on 7th April… on the lines of Gandhi ji”s Dandi March.

Do please join Ladakh on 7th. While we do the Pashmina March here, or you can do your own Marches to show… pic.twitter.com/CohdER4rz7

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) March 29, 2024

Mr Wangchuk embarked on his hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards under the sixth schedule of the constitution for the Union Territory of Ladakh. The region was part of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state before the abrogation of Article 370.

Mr Wangchuk started his climate fast after the discussions between the joint representatives of the Leh-based Apex body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) failed to yield results. Braving the harsh temperature, he along with his supporters finished 21 days of hunger strike on March 26.

However, the women from the region announced another hunger strike pressing for the same demands including statehood and protection under the sixth schedule. However, after his 21-day-long strike surviving with salt and water, Wangchuk joined the women’s 10-day hunger strike.