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Ladakh civil society groups will continue their March 16 protest demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards despite the release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Activists say talks with the Centre remain unresolved and thousands are expected to join demonstrations in Kargil.
Ladakh Protest Still On (Image Source: Dynamite News)
New Delhi: Civil society groups in Ladakh have confirmed that the protest planned for March 16, 2026 will go ahead as scheduled. This decision comes even after the release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from detention. Local leaders say Wangchuk’s release is important but only one of several issues they are fighting for, reports Dynamite News correspondent.
The protest is being organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). These two groups represent the people of the Leh and Kargil districts and have been leading the movement for stronger constitutional protections for Ladakh.
The groups have several key demands from the central government. They want full statehood for Ladakh, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to protect tribal rights, and separate Members of Parliament for Leh and Kargil. They are also demanding that long-pending government job vacancies in the region be filled quickly.
Discussions between Ladakh leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs are ongoing but have not produced any clear results so far. The high-powered committee led by Nityanand Rai met earlier this year, but the talks ended without a final decision. Government officials have instead suggested protections similar to those available under Article 371 and have proposed strengthening local hill councils.
Leaders from the KDA say around 1,000 people are expected to gather in Kargil for Monday’s protest. Activists have also demanded the release of other detained individuals, including former MLA Deldan Namgial and activist Smanla Dorjey, and have called for the withdrawal of cases against those arrested during protests in September 2025.
Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the government over the detention of Sonam Wangchuk. Arvind Kejriwal called the arrest unfair and damaging to the country, while Akhilesh Yadav accused the government of backing away from its promise of statehood for Ladakh. Omar Abdullah said Wangchuk should never have been arrested.
Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019 after the removal of Article 370. Since then, local organisations have been demanding stronger constitutional safeguards and political representation for the region.
