Sonam Wangchuk’s wife counters ‘Pakistan link’ charge, defends his Gandhian protest

Sonam Wangchuk

Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has strongly rejected allegations of “Pakistan links” and financial irregularities against him, calling the charges “misplaced” and asserting that he has always protested in the “most Gandhian way possible.”

Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on Friday, two days after protests in Leh demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh turned violent, leaving four people dead and 90 others injured. He has since been lodged in Jodhpur prison.

Speaking to PTI over the phone, Angmo said she has not been able to communicate with her husband since his detention and dismissed the charges made against him and their institutions. “They promised to send [the detention order] on Friday. We will take legal recourse,” she said.

Ladakh DGP S D Singh Jamwal has said Wangchuk is being investigated for suspected links with Pakistan following the arrest of a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO) who allegedly circulated videos of Wangchuk’s protests. He also pointed to Wangchuk’s “suspicious” overseas trips, including one to Pakistan.

Angmo clarified that their visit was professional and climate-focused. “We attended a conference organised by the United Nations, and it was on climate change. The glacier on the top of the Himalayas is not going to see whether I’m flowing into Pakistan or India,” she told PTI.

She said the ‘Breathe Pakistan’ conference in February was organised by UN Pakistan and Dawn Media and was part of multinational cooperation. “There are organisations like the ICIMOD, which bring together all the eight Hindu Kush countries and work on different issues. We are part of the ICIMOD’s Himalayan University Consortium,” she added.

Angmo further noted, “I was also there to present a paper on women’s role in climate change… In fact, he (Wangchuk) praised Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi on stage at the event.”

Rejecting claims of Wangchuk inciting violence, she said, “We have videos to show that the students and the youth were just there for a peaceful protest. Sonam did not even know about [any non-peaceful plan]. But when the CRPF personnel fired tear gas shells, the youth reacted by pelting stones, and the whole situation escalated.”

She also questioned the security forces’ response. “My question is, who gave the CRPF the right to open fire? Why should you open fire on your own people, on your own youth?” she asked.

On allegations of provocative speeches, Angmo said Wangchuk’s words were taken out of context.
“He just said that ‘when change has to happen, it can start with one individual, or with the death of one individual and that individual could be me; I’m happy to give my life for it’,” she explained.

Angmo strongly rejected attempts to paint her husband as anti-national. “How can you portray a person as anti-national who has been talking about making shelters for the Indian Army, and boycotting Chinese goods?” she said.

Responding to financial allegations, Angmo defended the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), co-founded by her and Wangchuk. She said their funding came through service agreements, not donations.

“We have the service agreements, which say this is a consulting assignment that we’re giving to HIAL for which we will be paying them,” she said.

She added that HIAL does not charge its 400 students and instead raises costs through innovations like ice stupas and solar buildings. Angmo also noted that HIAL’s UGC registration application has been pending since 2022 and claimed the lease for its land has been stalled due to administrative hurdles.

She criticised the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, another institution founded by Wangchuk, calling it unfair.

Defending her husband’s advocacy, she stressed: “Sonam certainly is not a threat to any public order.” She reiterated that Wangchuk has consistently worked for “mindful development” in Ladakh, citing HIAL’s proposals like using translucent solar panels in Changtang to support both energy production and Pashmina goat fodder.

“This kind of mindful development is what he’s talking about… HIAL is at the forefront of innovation. It is not that he’s anti-development,” Angmo said.

*With PTI Inputs