Leh, Sept 26: “He was treated like a criminal without any reason,” was an angry outburst from Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was arrested from his village Ulyaktopo two days after violent protests in Leh over demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards, leaving four people dead and 59 others injured.
Wangchuk was arrested on Friday by a police party led by Ladakh DGP S D Singh Jamwal. The Home Ministry blamed Wangchuk for making “provocative statements” that led to Wednesday’s violence, a charge the activist has consistently denied.
Angmo, who is also the co-founder of HIAL (Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh), fiercely condemned her husband’s detention and accused the government of spreading “false narratives” to tarnish his image.
She alleged that their house was “ransacked by the police” and alleged that Wangchuk was being unjustly portrayed as “anti-national”.
“It is the worst form of democracy… without any trial, without any reason, they have just taken him like a criminal,” Angmo said.
She escalated her criticism beyond the arrest, accusing the government of deliberately damaging her husband’s reputation.
“The government should not stoop to this level to tarnish somebody’s image who has been peacefully protesting for the past five years, who has contributed to national glory more than anybody else, be it through Rolex Awards or, you know, the work that he has been doing in agriculture and environment, to UNDP and everywhere,” she said.
“If this is how intellectuals and innovators are treated, then God save this country from becoming anything but a Vishwaguru,” she said.
Angmo also slammed the ruling BJP at the Centre, saying “please tell them not to call themselves Hindu… because the basis of Hinduism is all truth”.
Identifying herself as a practising Hindu, Wangchuk’s wife questioned the BJP’s principles, saying, “They are not Hindus in any way. The BJP is not Hindu because its foundation is falsehood.” “I am somebody who teaches the Vedas, Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita in the light of Sri Aurobindo. I am a teacher and student of the Vedas and Vedanta and this is not the India Sri Aurobindo dreamt about and this is not the Hinduism that Vedas and Vedanta talk about,” she said.
Angmo reiterated her protest and challenged anyone from the Centre to a live, prime-time television debate on the allegations levelled against her husband, including issues related to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and CBI inquiries.
“I challenge them to come on Prime Time TV to have a one-on-one debate with me about all the allegations,” she said.
“Let them not spread false narratives as they are doing. Let them not use their power and use the entire state and national machinery to just go after one man.” She further criticised the ruling BJP, saying, “Their foundation is falsehood… This is not the India which Sri Aurobindo dreamt about.” The specific charges pressed against him remain unclear.
