New Delhi: Former diplomat Phunchok Stobdan has suggested that the recent violent protests in Ladakh, which left four dead and hundreds injured, may have been stoked by forces opposed to improved India–China relations. Stobdan, who served as India’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, told media that the unrest may be linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO Summit.
“There are mischief makers who do not want an improved relationship between the two countries and therefore, the frontiers have been put on fire,” he said.
Curfew, Arrests, and Boycott of Talks
Curfew was imposed in Ladakh on September 24, after protests over demands for restoration of statehood and implementation of the Sixth Schedule turned violent.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Development Alliance (KDA) have pulled out of talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs scheduled for October 6, demanding the release of all detainees — including activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA).
KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai said:
“We will not have discussions with the government till Wangchuk is released and a judicial probe is ordered to seek accountability for the killing of four civilians.”
Stobdan Criticises Govt and Wangchuk
Stobdan accused the government of failing to explain why the Sixth Schedule cannot be implemented in Ladakh, despite BJP’s 2019 manifesto promise and a recommendation by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
“This government does not have the wherewithal to handle Ladakh… it took it easy instead of addressing the concerns of people,” he said.
He also criticised Wangchuk’s protest, saying it “dramatised” the situation:
“He made it look like some kind of an Arab Spring. This was a misplaced agenda as Ladakh is not a country.”
Wangchuk’s Family Hits Back
Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, rejected allegations of foreign links:
“There was no need to put the NSA on Sonam… a witch-hunt has been going on against us. His visit to Pakistan for a UN climate conference is being misconstrued.”
She alleged a campaign to defame Wangchuk and weaken the Sixth Schedule movement.
Background
Demand: Ladakhis want statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.
Trigger: UT status in 2019 without a legislature left people “disempowered,” said Stobdan.
Divide: Protestors accuse govt of ignoring promises; govt alleges “vested interests.”
Ladakh Protests: Ex-Diplomat Stobdan Hints At Foreign Hand, Calls Govt Response Weak
