Sonam Wangchuk led ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’ starts from Leh

Renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk leads volunteers on foot march to Delhi for Ladakh's four-point agenda, demanding dialogue with Centre.

More than 100 volunteers led by renowned innovator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk started on a foot march from here to the national capital on Sunday to urge the Centre to resume the stalled dialogue with the leadership of Ladakh on their four-point agenda.

The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’, organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years, supports statehood, extension of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, early recruitment process along with a Public Service Commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

Also read: Why are Ladakh’s residents on a hunger strike? | Explained

Talks between Ladakh’s representatives and the Central government ended in March without any concrete outcome.

Amid chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai’“ and “We want Sixth Schedule”, LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang flagged off the march from the NDS Memorial Park here, with Mr. Wangchuk expressing hope that the government would greet them with good news upon their reaching Delhi on Gandhi Jayanti, marking the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation on October 2.

“It is a matter of satisfaction that people from all sections of the society, including elders, women and youngsters, have joined this march in support of our demands…Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and Union Territory with a Legislature is our democratic right as we want development and management of the region in accordance with our wishes and aspirations,” Mr. Wangchuk, who had earlier in March this year held a 21-day-long hunger strike in support of the demands, said.

He said this was a people’s movement and the government should fulfil the demands of Ladakhis without a second thought.