Sonam Wangchuk Blamed by Modi Government for Ladakh Violence, Loses FCRA, What Next? I Barkha

SONAM WANGCHUK TO BE ARRESTED? - Facing possible jail time for "provoking" violence in Ladakh according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk lost his FCRA approval for his organisation Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh ( SECMOL). The government alleged irregularities in the funds management.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directly blamed Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, widely known from the film 3 Idiots, for the recent violent protests in Leh. Following the unrest, the FCRA approval for his NGO, Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, has been cancelled.

In an exclusive conversation with Barkha Dutt, Wangchuk says, “I am ready to go to jail”, acknowledging the probe into his funding. On the violent turn of protests — four dead and over 80 injured, including 40 policemen — he admitted, “Gen Z has rejected me.”

The MHA cited Wangchuk’s references to the Arab Spring and Gen Z protests in Nepal as inflammatory, since talks on Ladakh statehood were already scheduled. Wangchuk calls himself a scapegoat and ended his hunger strike after the violence.

Ladakh’s statehood agitation has escalated into its most violent chapter yet. Streets in Leh and Kargil became flashpoints with vehicles, a police van, and a BJP office set on fire. Young protesters — Gen Z students, first-time voters, and climate activists — are now leading the movement, demanding their rights and recognition.

Even as Wangchuk faces mounting pressure from the CBI investigation and government scrutiny, he remains central to the debate. Barkha Dutt speaks to him about the violence, Gen Z-led protests, and the future of Ladakh’s statehood demand.