Sonam Wangchuk Advocates for Dialogue After Jail Release, Hails NSA Revocation as 'Win-Win'
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk emphasized on Tuesday that the people of Ladakh are primarily seeking to "start a dialogue or to resume talks" with the Central government. In his first public remarks since being released from Jodhpur Central Jail two days prior, Wangchuk described the revocation of his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) as a "win-win" development. He noted that the Centre has extended its hand to build trust for meaningful discussions with Ladakh's residents.
Press Conference Highlights Dialogue Demand
Addressing a press conference alongside his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk stated, "As I said, they (the Centre) have offered constructive, meaningful dialogue. This is all that we were struggling for—to start a dialogue. We had to struggle so much, walk from Leh to Delhi, go on anshans, go to jail, to exactly get that. If you see all the movements in Ladakh, they are appealing for starting the talks and dialogue process."
He contrasted this with typical scenarios, saying, "Usually, you see people picking up guns and the government appealing for dialogue. Here, people are urging the government to start a dialogue."
Prepared for Longer Incarceration, Now Focused on Dialogue
Wangchuk, who was detained for nearly six months, revealed he had prepared himself for a longer stay in prison and was ready to share his experiences. "I was waiting to come out either as we win in the court or after 12 months. I was very well prepared to spend 12 months and come out and share the horror stories," he said, detailing abrupt detention without contact with family or lawyers and his wife's struggles to seek legal recourse.
He added, "It was a huge horror story of how it was made so difficult to send anything to my lawyers. Otherwise, it was great. The jail, the staff, and the people there were very upright and very kind despite keeping to their laws and disciplines. I'm happy that I won't have to go into those things... But now with this hand extended from the government, I'm spared from having to do any of those. I really hope that the dialogue process will go on."
Seeking Broader Victory for Ladakh's Causes
Reflecting on his release, Wangchuk expressed a desire for a broader outcome beyond personal victory. "I feel wonderful today after these two days of regaining my voice and unfurling my little wings and reorienting myself... I'm a little greedy person. A win was not enough for me. I was always looking for a win-win. A win would be just Sonam Wangchuk's win," he said.
He elaborated, "What good is Sonam Wangchuk winning if Ladakh and the Himalayas and the causes he represents do not win? Therefore, we were looking for a win-win for the causes. Now, with the recent extension of hands by the government to build trust, as they have said, and to facilitate meaningful constructive dialogue. This is a great thing because this way Ladakh will also win and our cause will also win. So it will be truly a win-win. It will be a win-win-win also, because the government will come out looking better and our image in the world will be a little better and it will be even better win-win-win, if the Court also records a judgment in this case apart from revocation of the order itself so that it guides future executives and future policy makers about how to use and specially how not to use such laws as National Security Act."
Background on Detention and Release
Wangchuk, 59, was detained on September 26 last year under the NSA following protests in Ladakh linked to demands for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The protests were organized by groups including the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance.
The Centre revoked his detention with immediate effect, stating that the decision aimed to foster "peace, stability and mutual trust" in Ladakh and facilitate dialogue with stakeholders. His release came ahead of a protest call by the Leh Apex Body on March 16 and just days before a scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court of India on a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife challenging his detention.
Wife's Emotional Response
His wife, Angmo, shared an emotional message on social media after his release, describing the process of informing him that he would walk free. She wrote about "writing the final letter to the jail superintendent" seeking permission to meet him and expressed relief that his "ordeal of being inside the jail for 170 days" had ended.
