NEW DELHI: Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, dismissed allegations of Pakistan links and financial irregularities against him, insisting that he has always advocated in the “most Gandhian way possible.” Wangchuk, a prominent face of the five-year-long agitation for Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on Friday. His arrest came two days after violent protests in Leh on September 24 left four dead and 90 injured. He has since been lodged in Jodhpur prison in Rajasthan. Speaking to news agency PTI over the phone, Angmo, co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), said she has not been able to contact her husband since his detention. “They promised to send [the detention order] on Friday. We will take legal recourse,” she said.

Police cite foreign links, wife counters

Ladakh DGP SD Singh Jamwal said Wangchuk is being investigated for alleged links with Pakistan following the arrest of a Pakistani Intelligence Operative last month, who reportedly circulated videos of his protests. The police also flagged Wangchuk’s “suspicious” overseas trips, including a visit to Pakistan to attend an event organised by The Dawn. Angmo, however, said their recent visit across the border was purely professional and focused on climate issues. “We attended a conference organised by the United Nations, and it was on climate change. The glacier on the top of the Himalayas is not going to see whether I’m flowing into Pakistan or India,” she said. She added that the ‘Breathe Pakistan’ conference in February was hosted by the UN Pakistan and Dawn Media, with international participation. “There are organisations like the ICIMOD, which bring together all the eight Hindu Kush countries and work on different issues. We are part of the ICIMOD’s Himalayan University Consortium,” she explained. Angmo also pointed out that Wangchuk had praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the event. “The Nepal and Bangladesh reference being bandied around is actually an example Sonam gave, i.e., ‘when governments are not responsive, it leads to a revolution’. We should avoid the interpretations,” she said.

‘Peaceful protest escalated due to CRPF action‘

Angmo strongly contested the NSA charges, arguing that Wangchuk has a long track record of peaceful protests. “I think it is a very wrong charge. Sonam certainly is not a threat to any public order,” she said. She insisted that the Leh Apex Body protest was peaceful until security forces intervened. “We have videos to show that the students and the youth were just there for a peaceful protest. Sonam did not even know about (a non-peaceful plan)… But when the CRPF personnel fired tear gas shells, the youth reacted by pelting stones, and the whole situation escalated.” Questioning the force’s response, she asked: “My question is, who gave the CRPF the right to open fire? Why should you open fire on your own people, on your own youth?” On allegations that Wangchuk delivered a provocative speech, she said his words were mistranslated. “He just said that ‘when change has to happen, it can start with one individual, or with the death of one individual and that individual could be me; I’m happy to give my life for it’,” Angmo explained.

Defence against financial charges

Angmo also rejected allegations of financial irregularities involving Wangchuk’s institutions, presenting details on HIAL’s funding, UGC registration, and land allotment. She said HIAL did not receive foreign donations without FCRA clearance, clarifying that payments were made for services. “We have the service agreements, which say this is a consulting assignment that we’re giving to HIAL for which we will be paying them,” she said. According to her, HIAL, where 400 students study free of cost, covers expenses through innovations such as ice stupas and passive solar buildings, and does not patent its technologies. She added that the institute applied for UGC registration in 2022 and deposited ₹15 lakh, but the process has been stalled. Angmo said the lease for HIAL’s land remains unresolved due to the UT administration’s lack of a category for such institutions. “While questions are being raised on HIAL, the Sindhu Central University, which started in 2021, still doesn’t have a building,” she noted.

Call for ‘mindful development’

Angmo stressed that her husband is not against development, but supports giving Ladakhis a say in shaping it under the Sixth Schedule. She highlighted HIAL’s proposal to use translucent solar panels in Changtang to both generate electricity and grow fodder for Pashmina goats. “This kind of mindful development is what he’s talking about… HIAL is at the forefront of innovation. It is not that he’s anti-development,” she said. Meanwhile, the Union home ministry has cancelled the FCRA licence of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organisation founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies.