The Supreme Court will hear Naresh Balyan's plea challenging his bail denial. The Delhi High Court previously rejected his bail application in a MCOCA case. Balyan is accused of facilitating a crime syndicate run by gangster Kapil Sangwan. The high court found an active criminal nexus between
The Delhi High Court has sought responses from Abhijit Iyer Mitra and others. A Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson filed a plea alleging privacy violations. The court issued notices and summons regarding the disclosure of residential details. X, formerly Twitter
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta has banned any construction or development within 100 metres of Jojari River in Rajasthan,hearing a suo motu case on Monday (August 24, 2026). The court also prohibited hazardous industries within 500 metres of the river’s flow path
The Congress party criticises the Modi government's aggressive privatisation agenda for India's space program. They question the rationale behind weakening ISRO's capabilities and transferring its assets. Reports indicate ISRO's role in rocket development will be severely limited by this new policy
Chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in Nagpur shortly after midnight on Monday (August 24, 2026) sent nearby residents running for safety and left many people gasping for breath, officials said. Several people were hospitalised after the leakage occurred in a 900-kg capacity chlorine gas
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday said Bengal must emerge as a major investment destination as he highlighted the state's cooperation with the Centre in defence, infrastructure and industrial development. His remarks came as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Adhikari virtually
BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained responsive to youth concerns and shown that political differences can be set aside to improve government systems. BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani said the Prime Minister has been attentive to the
In April 2025, the Modi government made a dramatic U-turn and announced that it would count caste in India’s next census. At the time, it made sure to take potshots at its predecessor, the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government, for not including caste in the 2011 census
What Triggered The Ladakh Protests? 4 Killed In Violent Clashes, Sonam Wangchuk Calls Off Fast
What Triggered The Ladakh Protests? 4 Killed In Violent Clashes, Sonam Wangchuk Calls Off Fast
Four people were killed and at least 45 injured, including 22 police personnel, as the protests demanding statehood for Ladakh turned violent on Wednesday.
Amid large-scale violence, arson, and street clashes, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
The BJP office was vandalised and set on fire as were several vehicles. Flames and clouds of smoke could be seen from afar with police resorting to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control.
According to officials, the administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS to ban the assembly of five or more people. Besides, Congress leader and councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag was booked for allegedly making a provocative speech at the hunger strike venue on Tuesday (September 23).
The Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were hospitalised as their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening. Sonam Wangchuk said the fact that Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60) were taken to a hospital was most likely the immediate trigger for the violent protest.
Those on hunger strike were pushing the Centre to resume dialogue in support of their four-point demand – statehood, extension of Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and reservation for employment.
Wangchuk said the situation is the outcome of frustration among the youth because they have been kept away from jobs. He said there is no democracy in Ladakh and the Sixth Schedule promise made to the public has not been fulfilled either.
A fresh round of talks is scheduled between the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6.
The two bodies have been jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of their demands and have held several rounds of talks with the Centre in the past.
The default face of the hunger strike for statehood in Ladakh, Wangchuk stepped in with an appeal and an announcement that he was cutting short the fast.
“I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country," he told his supporters. “This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for myself personally because the path we are treading for the last five years was peaceful… We held hunger strikes on five occasions and walked from Leh to Delhi but today we are seeing our message of peace failing because of the incidents of violence and arson."
He appealed to the administration to stop firing teargas shells and urged the government to be more sensitive.
“We are ending our fast immediately…the aim of the hunger strike is not fulfilled if our youth lose their lives. It is time to carry forward the dialogue with a cool mind. We will keep our agitation non-violent and I also want to ask the government to listen to our message of peace…when the message of peace is ignored, such a situation arises," he said.
Government sources said the Centre is committed to the welfare and empowerment of Ladakhi people and stands with the youth but the situation did not spiral on its own and was deliberately engineered.
In a statement from the ministry of home affairs (MHA), the Centre squarely blamed Wangchuk for the situation and said he made provocative statements drawing comparisons with the Nepal ‘Gen Z' protests and Arab Spring. There is a high possibility that he could be booked for inciting mob violence, the sources said. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics of certain individuals and the personal ambition of Wangchuk, they said.
The sources said the Centre had already fixed October 6 for the meeting between the high-powered committee and issues posed by LAB and KDA. It agreed on the new members for the committee as proposed by LAB, they said.
Wangchuck has long hinted at wanting an Arab Spring-style protest in Ladakh, the sources said. His reference to the Nepal protests seems like a blueprint and he has used this platform for his personal issues to hide certain irregularities coming to light now, they said.
Congress leaders made statements that sounded like instructions – talk of stone pelting, bandhs, and arson, they said. The youth are not to be blamed as they were misled and caught in a sinister plot for political and personal gain, they added.
The Constitution's Sixth Schedule, meant for the tribal population of the four northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam, makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of president and the governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms and financial powers exercised through autonomous councils.
Ladakh, the cold desert region of India, known for its scenic beauty and strategic location as it borders both China and Pakistan.
It is a sparsely populated and high-altitude area, which is home to some 3,00,000 people. Around half of the residents are Muslim and about 40 percent are Buddhist.
Ladakh is classed as a union territory – meaning that while it elects lawmakers to Parliament and directly governed by the central government.
The Indian Army maintains a large presence in Ladakh. It was the scene of the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes between India and China, which left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead.
The Narendra Modi-led government split Ladakh off from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, imposing direct rule on both. But New Delhi is yet to fulfil its promise to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which allows people to make their own laws and policies.
Source: News18
Related Posts: Ladakh statehood, Ladakh protests, Sixth Schedule Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike, Ladakh Apex Body, Kargil Democratic Alliance, violence in Ladakh
Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana has sparked outrage after footage emerged of him leaving the dais during the National Anthem. Opposition leaders have called for his apology, questioning his respect for national sentiments. In his defense
15 hours ago
The upkeep of Delhi's iconic Lutyens bungalows, now nearly a century old, is becoming increasingly expensive - annual expenditure on the renovation, furnishing and repair of the official residences of Union Ministers touched a record high of ₹92.35 crore in 2025-26
1 days ago
Industrialist Gautam Adani met Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for an hour. Sources described the meeting as a courtesy visit while returning to the airport. The meeting occurred amid a proposed tunnel road project for which Adani Enterprises is the lowest bidder
1 days ago
Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda has clarified his statements regarding Sajjan Kumar's death, denying he ever referred to the former MP as a role model. He underscored his family's long-standing opposition to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, firmly reiterating their commitment to advocating for the rights and
1 days ago
A project in Assam to improve the quality of an elephant habitat could turn a botanical liability into a carbon-rich asset. For decades, Assam Forest Department officials have struggled to deal with at least half a dozen invasive alien plants (IAPs) that have been constricting local vegetation and
1 days ago
At a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Union ministers were handed report cards. They were not being assessed for their performance as ministers but on how active and effective they have been on social media. Each minister was ranked based on an evaluation of their social media presence between May 1
1 days ago
The Indian Overseas Congress USA Telangana Chapter voiced disappointment over denied political clearance for Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's US trip. The Ministry of External Affairs cited the program's inappropriateness for the office held by the Chief Minister
1 days ago
Expressing her firm stance, Mayawati, the BSP chief, has rejected the idea of substituting caste-based reservations with economic ones, arguing that it would harm the broader national interest. She pointed to constitutional protections for historically marginalized groups and condemned Congress
1 days ago
Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatro Ki Goonj' program focused on young women in Pune. Congress leaders stated the program's message reached Delhi, causing visible panic. Supriya Shrinate highlighted the platform provided for women to voice their concerns. Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol criticized the program
1 days ago
Prime Minister Modi met the BJP's new national office-bearers, stressing public connection and organizational strength. The party announced a nationwide 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' from September 17 to October 17. This campaign aims to spread the spirit of service associated with Modi's public life
1 days ago
Sikh leaders protested outside Rahul Gandhi's residence on Saturday. They demanded an apology for Congress leaders' remarks about Sajjan Kumar. Sajjan Kumar, convicted in the 1984 riots, recently passed away. Protesters stated that such statements reopened old wounds for families
2 days ago
The Bharatiya Janata Party passed a resolution defending Vande Mataram's national status. This action strongly condemned the Congress Working Committee's recent decision regarding the song. The BJP affirmed the constitutional and statutory protection of the complete National Song
2 days ago
BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Saturday (August 22, 2026) held the first meeting with the party's newly appointed national office-bearers to discuss poll strategy and grassroots outreach, party sources said. The meeting focused on preparations for upcoming State Assembly elections
2 days ago
Two workers were killed and 11 others were injured in a reactor blast in a pharmaceutical firm in Dothigudem in Pochampally in Yadadri district late on Friday (August 21, 2026) night. The factory is about 50 km from Hyderabad. According to police officials
2 days ago
The Supreme Court has redefined the term 'industry' for new labor cases. This ruling will not affect past or pending cases under the old law. The Congress party expressed concern over this significant change. They believe it weakens essential safeguards for many workers
2 days ago
BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan accused Congress of appeasement politics regarding the Vande Mataram song. He stated the party's true face has been exposed to the nation. West Bengal Congress President Subhankar Sarkar rejected these allegations from the BJP
2 days ago
Claiming that “rule of law” prevails in Bengal now with the new BJP government in power, Shah said the previous government did not implement BNS in Bengal so that they could promote cut money, syndicate raj and corruption. He praised CM Suvendu Adhikari who has fulfilled 43% of the poll
2 days ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged faster reforms and greater ease of living. He expressed confidence that a stable India will contribute to world stability. India has been an oasis of political stability amidst global fluctuations. The government is committed to uplifting the youth, farmers
2 days ago
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday asked the Union government to provide a legislative assurance that any state’s representation in Parliament will not reduce due to the delimitation exercise, The New Indian Express reported
2 days ago
Welcome to The India Fix by Shoaib Daniyal. A newsletter on Indian politics. As always, if you’ve been sent this newsletter and like it, to get it in your inbox every week, sign up here (click on “follow”). “I was never involved in corruption
2 days ago
A Congress delegation petitioned the Election Commission regarding voter list irregularities. They alleged eligible voters' names were struck off electoral rolls. People were declared absent and young individuals marked deceased without cause. Notices were not reaching recipients
3 days ago
Karnataka's Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged the Southern Zonal Council to retain the 1971 census for delimitation. He also requested maintaining the Lok Sabha's strength at 543 for the next twenty-five years. Shivakumar sought to accommodate women's quota within the existing strength without
3 days ago
Farmers in Karnataka's Cauvery basin intensified protests on Thursday, opposing water release to Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery Water Management Authority ordered Karnataka to release water, which Tamil Nadu seeks to enforce. Protesters questioned the decision
4 days ago
Journalist Tarun Tejpal, former editor of Tehelka magazine, on Thursday (August 20, 2026) appealed in the Supreme Court against the August 6, 2026, judgment of the Bombay High Court sentencing him to 10 years imprisonment in a 2013 rape case. His appeal comes as the State of Goa
4 days ago
The Congress Working Committee adopted a resolution addressing key national concerns. Youth unemployment and numerous paper leaks were highlighted as critical issues. Allegations of financial irregularities in Ram temple donations were also raised
4 days ago
Manipur Congress chief O Ibobi Singh stated the Centre can resolve state issues quickly. Civil society groups are petitioning Union ministers for NRC updation before the Census. They aim to meet Home Minister Amit Shah and other key leaders. Students also protested
4 days ago
KPCC president Sunny Joseph stated the ED probe findings against Veena T are not political witch-hunting. He noted the CPI(M) has not denied the facts revealed by the agency. The Enforcement Directorate seized handwritten notes and digital devices during searches
4 days ago
