‘Narrative being fabricated to blame and frame…’: Sonam Wangchuk’s wife

Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Sonam Wangchuk, on Tuesday slammed the police for falsely implicating her husband in having links with Pakistani elements. She alleged that her husband is being framed and that a “fabricated” narrative is being built against him in connection with the recent unrest in Leh.

Wangchuk was arrested last week under the National Security Act (NSA) and shifted to Jodhpur from Ladakh. The action against the climate activist followed the September 24 violence in capital Leh during which four persons were killed and over 70 others were injured.

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Categorically rejecting the allegations levelled against Wangchuk by the Ladakh DGP, including him being in touch with Pakistani elements, she said, “We strongly condemn the DGP’s statements. Not only I, but everyone in Ladakh denounces those allegations… This narrative is being fabricated to blame and frame someone, allowing them to do whatever they want.”

“Whatever happened is very unfortunate… We ask: Who gave the CRPF orders to open fire? Who shoots at their own people, their own citizens? Especially in an area where there has never been a violent demonstration… What could Sonam Wangchuk have instigated? He had no idea about all this. He was somewhere else, where he was on a hunger strike. Whatever the DGP is saying, he has an agenda. They don’t want to implement the Sixth Schedule under any circumstances and want to make someone a scapegoat,” Angmo said.

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The government later accused Wangchuk of “instigating the violence”. For the past five years, the activist has been spearheading the movement to demand statehood and Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. It was during one such agitation last Wednesday that violence broke out in Leh.

Angmo said the movement has been going on for the last five years and all such protests have been carried out in a peaceful and Gandhian way.

#WATCH | Ladakh: On current situation in Leh, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, says, “…Over the past five years, Sonam Wangchuk’s fasts and marches advocating for the implementation of the 6th schedule have been conducted in a genuinely Gandhian manner, emphasising… pic.x.com/Mjj2YfRe8u

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2025

“Over the past five years, Sonam Wangchuk’s fasts and marches advocating for the implementation of the Sixth schedule have been conducted in a genuinely Gandhian manner, emphasising absolute non-violence. Why would someone like this instigate violent protests and be blamed? This has never happened before. This situation is so sad that you are giving the wrong branding to a very peaceful place…,” Angmo said while reacting furiously to the labelling of people in Ladakh as anti-nationals by some quarters.

“Whatever has happened in Leh over the past six days and in the first four years is a very sad and unfortunate incident. No one is more peace-loving, patriotic, and nationalist than the people of Leh,” she added.

Wangchuk’s wife claimed that the violence broke out only after the CRPF personnel lobbed teargas shells. She also questioned the need to impose curfew in Leh following the violent clashes.

“First of all, imposing curfew in such areas is absolutely wrong, and we condemn it. Secondly, we condemn the reason given for this curfew, which is the youth protest. Because the youth were protesting in a peace-loving manner that day. Had the CRPF not used tear gas, this would have been a very peaceful protest…,” Angmo told news agency ANI.

Angmo said her husband Sonam Wangchuk had dedicated his life to grassroots education and science, asking why would he instigate an act like violent protests.

“Sonam Wangchuk is more than just a scientist; he inspires young people. People respect him not only for his scientific achievements but also because he is a humanitarian who truly cares about people’s hardships… He spent his life on grassroots education.”