‘All not well in Ladakh’: Sonam Wangchuk appeals to PM Modi, plans to sit on ‘Climate Fast’
Sonam Wangchuk, the education reform pioneer, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene because “all is not well in Ladakh.” The video’s title is a reference to a popular Bollywood song from the film 3 Idiots, in which the protagonist’s character is based on Wangchuk’s life.
Sonam Wangchuk intends to begin a five-day “Climate Fast” on January 26 at the 18000-foot-high Khardungla pass, where it is -40°C.
Ladakh is crucial from a military standpoint and was involved in the Kargil and other conflicts. The potential for corporate growth in the union territory, which is expected to exacerbate the already severe shortage of resources like water, worries Wangchuk. Glaciers may melt as a result of mining and similar activities.
He can be heard in the video explaining that Ladakh, also referred to as the “third pole” of the earth, is facing serious problems as he brings up the 6th Schedule and protests associated with it. Locals have been advocating for Ladakh’s inclusion under the 6th Schedule to support complete economic development and decision-making autonomy. Parliament has also previously discussed this issue.
According to the Constitution, the 6th Schedule only applies to areas where at least 50% of the population is indigenous. Ladakh, with over 95% of its population being tribal, was expected to be added soon, Wangchuk says in the video. “The Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda, has also given assurances, Wangchuk continues.
In the 13-minute video, Wangchuk states that the people of Ladakh are baffled as to why the government, which has heeded their 70-year-old demand for a union region, is not attending to this demand.
Wangchuk previously said that instead of giving money to the world, people need to change their lifestyles to address issues like climate change. He used recent events in the northern mountainous region, such as flash floods, to illustrate the effects of climate change in December and claimed that people living in big cities around the world are to blame for these changes.
