Activist Sonam Wangchuk has levelled serious allegations against the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor’s office, claiming the administration is orchestrating a targeted smear campaign against him. In a video statement released on Saturday, the activist asserted that he is being subjected to a “witch-hunt” due to his public advocacy for the youth and the welfare of strategically sensitive border regions, specifically Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Wangchuk, who leads the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), stated that his educational institutions are being “harassed in every possible way” by the Union Territory administration. He alleged that the L-G’s office has been utilizing public funds to engage private companies to manage social media profiles designed to defame him while simultaneously promoting the Lieutenant Governor. His wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, who serves as the CEO and co-founder of HIAL, corroborated these claims, accusing the administration of reaching a “new low” in its conduct.
The tension between the activist and the administration stems from an ongoing legal dispute regarding a lease deed for land. The Ladakh administration recently cancelled the lease, citing a failure to pay the required premium and alleged non-compliance with the land's intended use. Consequently, officials have directed HIAL to halt activities at the Desert Flower School. Wangchuk and Angmo have maintained that the delays in finalizing the land deal were caused by bureaucratic hurdles and have characterized the cancellation as a politically motivated effort linked to their campaigns for Sixth Schedule safeguards and statehood for Ladakh.
In his video, Wangchuk claimed that his legal team conducted a “sting operation” to uncover evidence of the alleged campaign. He noted that he had initially attempted to address these grievances privately by sharing information with the Chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in hopes of an intervention. According to Wangchuk, these efforts were unsuccessful as official communication eventually ceased. Consequently, he has now appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to take note of the situation and ensure that democratic freedoms and equal rights are protected for the residents of India's border regions.
The administrative actions against Wangchuk’s institutions have escalated in recent weeks. Alongside the lease cancellation, the administration has issued notices demanding the cessation of classes at the Desert Flower School, citing a case currently pending before the High Court of J&K and Ladakh. Despite these directives, the school’s management has declared their intent to continue operations, stating they will defy the administration’s “advice.”
Separately, legal pressures continue to mount for the institution. On the same day Wangchuk released his statement, a labour court in Leh reserved its order in a case involving a former HIAL employee. The case concerns allegations of unfair treatment and the non-payment of statutory maternity benefits, adding further complexity to the ongoing conflict between the activist and the local government.
As of late Saturday, there has been no immediate reaction or official statement from the Lieutenant Governor’s office regarding the allegations of a smear campaign or the accusations of misappropriating public funds for social media activity. The situation remains in a state of uncertainty as the legal battles in the courts and the public standoff between the activist and the UT administration continue to unfold.
Comments