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CPI(M) Polit Bureau slams Centre’s ‘brutal repression’ of Ladakh protests

Ladakh became a UT in 2019 after Article 370 revocation. Unlike J&K, Ladakh lacks a legislature, leaving it under direct control of Centre.

Amit Vasudev

Published Sep 25, 2025 | 2:15 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 25, 2025 | 3:26 PM

Violent stir has brought life to a standstill in Leh-Ladakh region. Credit: x.com/Tsering_gaphel

Violent stir has brought life to a standstill in Leh-Ladakh region. Credit: x.com/Tsering_gaphel

Synopsis: Violence erupted in Leh on 24 September as protests for Ladakh’s statehood turned deadly, killing four and injuring over 70. Led by Sonam Wangchuk, protesters torched a BJP office, prompting a curfew. The CPI(M) condemned the Centre’s “brutal repression.” Demands include statehood and Sixth Schedule protections to safeguard local governance and Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem.

Violence erupted in Leh on 24 September when protesters set fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office and a CRPF van in Ladakh’s capital.

Four people died, and over 70 were injured, prompting a curfew in Leh, the region’s main town. Protests, initially peaceful for two weeks, were led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who condemned the violence as a “Gen Z outburst” driven by youth frustration.

Centre blamed Wangchuk’s “provocative” speeches, referencing Arab Spring and Nepal’s Gen Z protests, for inciting the mob. The Home Ministry accused him of leaving for his village without calming the situation after ending his hunger strike.

Condemning the Union government’s “brutal repression” in order to curb the protests, the CPI(M) has issued a statement. Party MP John Brittas shared CPI(M) Polit Bureau’s statement on X:

“The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the brutal repression unleashed by the Union Territory administration under the central government against the people of Ladakh. This violent crackdown has resulted in the tragic loss of four lives and left several others injured.”

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The post further read, “For the past six years, the people of Ladakh have been demanding statehood, with a fully empowered legislature, as well as the inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This would grant them the constitutional safeguards and benefits enjoyed by the people in many northwestern states. The demand for these rights has been consistently ignored by the BJP-led central government.”

“The CPI(M) urges the central government to immediately cease all repressive measures and engage in meaningful negotiations with the representatives of the movement. Furthermore, we demand that the government provide adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to those who were injured in the police repression.”

Why are protests happening in Ladakh?

Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019 after Article 370’s revocation and the division of Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh lacks a legislature, leaving it under direct central control.

This has sparked discontent over a perceived lack of local governance. Both Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil united under the Apex Body of Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for tribal autonomy and environmental safeguards.

The violence followed a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body’s youth wing after 15 hunger strikers were hospitalised. Protesters were frustrated by the government’s delay in addressing demands, particularly after the Home Ministry set 6 October as the next meeting date, deemed too distant by Wangchuk.

Also Read: ‘Media should capture truth and empathy,’ a youngster shares her perspective on Gen Z protests in Nepal

Without a legislature, Ladakhis feel unable to govern locally or protect their interests. They worry about diminishing job opportunities, land rights, and environmental risks from large-scale projects due to centralised decision-making, threatening the region’s fragile ecosystem.

Sonam Wangchuk’s alleged role

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, a 2018 Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, led a hunger strike from 10 September, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections.

Wangchuk, however, called the violence “one of the saddest days” of his life, attributing it to the BJP’s unfulfilled 2020 promises and youth unemployment. He denied political orchestration, insisting the protests were organic and driven by five years of unmet demands.

BJP vs Congress mudslinging

BJP leader Amit Malviya linked the violence to Congress, alleging a Congress councillor, Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, instigated the mob. He referenced Rahul Gandhi’s recent calls to India’s youth to protect democracy, drawing parallels with Nepal’s Gen Z protests.

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