Sonam Wangchuk wants Ladakh to become Nepal: Govt defends detention in Supreme Court

The Centre on Monday defended the preventive detention of Ladakh-based social activist Sonam Wangchuk before the Supreme Court, arguing that his public speeches amounted to incitement, separatist messaging and a threat to national security, particularly in a strategically sensitive border region.

Appearing for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that Wangchuk had attempted to provoke the younger generation into pushing Ladakh towards a situation similar to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, citing violent uprisings and political instability in those countries as examples.

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P V Varale was hearing a petition filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

‘THEM VS US’, PLEBISCITE CALLS IN FRAGILE BORDER REGION

Mehta told the court that Wangchuk repeatedly referred to the Centre as “them” and projected Ladakhis as “us”, while raising demands for a plebiscite or referendum — rhetoric earlier associated with Jammu and Kashmir.

“There is no them or us; we are all Indians. Ladakh shares borders with China and Pakistan. The area is extremely fragile,” Mehta said, stressing that Ladakh is vital for the armed forces’ supply chain.

“He even referred to Arab Spring-like movements which led to the overthrow of governments,” Mehta submitted, adding that Wangchuk selectively invoked Mahatma Gandhi to mask his real intent. “Gandhi ji never instigated people against their own government,” he said.

He argued that Wangchuk’s speeches must be read in their entirety, and not in isolation, as they were misleading young people under the cover of non-violence.

PREVENTIVE DETENTION JUSTIFIED, SAYS CENTRE

Defending the detention, Mehta said the district magistrate passed the preventive detention order after examining relevant material, including video recordings of Wangchuk’s speeches.

He told the Bench that the order was executed within four hours, during which a DIG-rank officer explained the grounds of detention to Wangchuk and showed him the video clips relied upon.

Countering claims of “borrowed material”, Mehta said the district magistrate was not required to personally attend each speech. “Officials who heard the speeches recorded them and placed the material before the district magistrate, who then applied his mind,” he said.

DETENTION CHALLENGED AS ARBITRARY

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, argued that the police relied on selective videos and “borrowed material” to mislead the detaining authority, rendering the detention illegal.

The plea alleges that the detention order is based on stale FIRs, vague allegations and speculative assertions, lacking any live or proximate link to the stated grounds under the NSA, and amounts to an arbitrary abuse of preventive powers.

It further said it was “preposterous” that Wangchuk, recognised for over three decades for his work in education, innovation and environmental conservation, was suddenly targeted.

Angmo contended that the violence in Leh on September 24 last year — which left four people dead and over 90 injured — could not be attributed to Wangchuk, noting that he had condemned the violence publicly and described it as the saddest day of his life.

COURT TO CONTINUE HEARING

The Supreme Court heard preliminary arguments from the Centre and is expected to continue hearing the matter, including submissions from Wangchuk’s counsel challenging the grounds and legality of the detention.