Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will lead a symbolic 20-km march in Ladakh on September 23, nearly a year after protests over statehood and constitutional safeguards turned violent in Leh.
The march will be followed by a “martyr’s day event” on September 24 to mark the first anniversary of the deaths of four civilians during the protests. Wangchuk and other Ladakh leaders have continued to seek statehood, inclusion under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule and safeguards for the region’s culture and tribal character.
Why the march is being held
The planned programme comes amid continued frustration among Ladakh leaders over the lack of progress in talks with the Centre. Leaders have held four rounds of discussions with the Union home ministry but said on September 10 that a draft on constitutional safeguards and an elected governance model had still not been presented.
A longer agitation planned between September 19 and 24 was scaled back because of weather conditions. The revised plan is for a symbolic 20-km march on September 23, followed by the memorial event the next day.
The Ladakh administration has announced Rs 15 lakh compensation for each of the four families and Rs 3 lakh for those injured. Wangchuk, however, has criticised the compensation amount.
“Looking at this compensation, I do not feel happy. Rather, my head is down with shame,” he said.
Wangchuk’s detention and release
Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act after the September 2025 protests and spent around six months in custody. The Centre revoked his detention in March, citing the need for “constructive and meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders.”
The Supreme Court was also scheduled to hear a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention around the time of his release.
What Ladakh leaders are seeking
Ladakh became a Union territory without a legislature in August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.
Since then, demands for statehood, constitutional safeguards and greater local representation have remained central to the region’s political movement. The Centre has indicated that a draft proposal could be ready by October, while Ladakh leaders continue to press for clarity on the proposed framework.