India Government Defends Detention of Activist Sonam Wangchuk

The Government of India defended the preventive detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk before the Supreme Court, alleging his speeches pose a serious threat to national security. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Wangchuk attempted to instigate Gen Z youth in Ladakh to launch violent protests modeled after political upheavals in Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Arab Spring. The government further claimed Wangchuk used Gandhian principles to mask inflammatory rhetoric and promoted separatist sentiment by calling for a plebiscite and referendum in the strategically sensitive border region.

Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act on September 26, 2025, following violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status. Those protests resulted in four deaths and approximately 90 injuries. He is currently held in Jodhpur Central Jail, where he previously reported stomach issues linked to contaminated water.

Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk's wife, filed a petition challenging the detention as illegal and arbitrary. Her counsel, Kapil Sibal, asserted that the government relied on selective videos and borrowed material to mislead authorities. Wangchuk has denied the allegations, asserting his democratic right to criticize and protest. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing whether proper detention procedures were followed.