Kejriwal calls Wangchuk’s detention an attack on democratic freedom

Wangchuk was arrested on Tuesday while he was on his way to Delhi along with a group of his supporters to press his demands related to Ladakh.

Taking to social media platform X on Tuesday, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, said, “While some times, farmers are stopped from entering Delhi, at others, people from Ladakh. Is Delhi someone’s personal property? Delhi is the nation’s capital, and everyone has the right to come here. This is completely wrong. What are they so afraid of from unarmed, peaceful people?”

Confirming the news, senior AAP leader and former Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia said, “The BJP-led Central government has detained Sonam Wangchuk at the Delhi border. Sonam Wangchuk is an environmental innovator from Ladakh whose impact is wide in India and around the world. He, along with some other eminent people from Ladakh including social workers and army veterans, reached Delhi border. Their plan was to discuss the situation of Ladakh at Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi at the Rajghat on 2nd October.”

He further said, “Sonam Wangchuk and other people from Ladakh were coming to Delhi to ask for their right to elect a government like in other states of India. They were coming with a demand to restore their statehood.”

On Monday night, Wangchuck wrote on his X handle, I am being detained… along with 150 padyatris at Delhi Border, by a police force of 100s, some say 1,000. Many elderly men & women in their 80s and a few dozen Army veterans… Our fate is unknown. We were on a most peaceful march to Bapu’s Samadhi… in the largest democracy in the world, the mother of democracy… Hai Ram.”

On Sunday, the office of the Delhi Police Commissioner, citing security inputs from various security agencies, announced prohibitory orders for six days beginning September 30 ahead of the upcoming festive season. The Delhi Police imposed Section 163 of BNSS in the districts of New Delhi, North, and Central, as well as police stations having jurisdiction over Delhi’s state borders.

According to the order, several inputs have been received about multiple organisations giving calls for demonstrations in the first week of October due to which the general atmosphere of the city from the law and order perspective looks sensitive.

The order further stated that such restrictions were necessitated in view of developments such as the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, MCD Standing Committee elections, declaration of pending results of the DUSU polls, and elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.