Centre Justifies NSA Detention of Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk Before Supreme Court
The Central government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that all procedural safeguards were meticulously followed while ordering the detention of prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). The government asserted that action against Wangchuk was necessary because he was instigating people in the sensitive border region of Ladakh, which shares boundaries with both Pakistan and China.
Solicitor General's Detailed Submission on Border Sensitivities
Continuing his arguments from Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented his case before a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale. Mehta emphasized that Wangchuk's speeches were deliberately designed to provoke individuals to engage in violence against the government, thereby justifying his preventive detention under the stringent provisions of the National Security Act.
"This court is dealing with a person who is instigating people in a border area, adjacent to Pakistan and China, where regional sensitivity is involved," Mehta stated unequivocally during the proceedings.
Objectionable Content in Wangchuk's Speeches Cited
Referring specifically to the activist's public addresses, the Solicitor General highlighted that Wangchuk had made statements suggesting that Ladakhis lacked the autonomy to choose their own representatives, while contrasting this with the autonomous rights enjoyed by regions like China and Tibet. The government characterized these remarks as highly objectionable and potentially destabilizing in a geopolitically volatile zone.
"This is a preventive action so that he doesn't keep repeating the things he said. The detention strikes at the very purpose for which the NSA was enacted. It will have a contextual meaning. Every state has region-specific sensitivities," Mehta elaborated, defending the government's stance on the matter.
Background of the Detention and Legal Challenge
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, challenging his preventive detention. Wangchuk was detained under the NSA following widespread protests in Leh during September 2025. These demonstrations were part of a larger movement demanding statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides special protections for tribal areas.
The government's position underscores its commitment to maintaining law and order in strategically important regions, balancing individual freedoms with national security imperatives. The case continues to draw significant attention, highlighting the complex interplay between activism, governance, and security in border areas.
