Uttarakhand’s Racist Violence Exposes India’s Pretence of National Unity
The killing of Angel Chakma, a young Chakma student from Tripura, after a brutal racist attack in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, points to a deeper problem in how India functions as a country. On paper, all citizens have equal rights under the law. But in real life, many people do not feel accepted or safe, even though they are legally Indian. This gap between legal citizenship and a sense of truly belonging in society shows how the idea of India as one united nation often fails in everyday life.
Ladakh’s Case for the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule
On Oct. 21, Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk concluded his 16-day hunger strike after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs agreed to resume discussions on the four key demands made by local leaders. The most crucial demand of the people of Ladakh is for greater autonomy through statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Speaking to Newsreel Asia, a leading Ladakhi activist elaborates on the rationale behind these demands.
Ladakh Spokesperson Opens Up About Fears of Remaining a UT Without Legislature
Having traveled 1,000 kilometers on foot, a group is now on a 21-day hunger strike in Delhi, advocating for statehood for their homeland, Ladakh, in the Himalayas in India. On the sixth day of their fast, Oct. 11, I spoke with Mehdi Shah, a key member of the group, to understand why they are so passionate about statehood and fearful of remaining a Union Territory after four years of direct governance by a distant central authority.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, 120 Others Detained After Walking 1,000 KM from Ladakh
“I am being detained... along with 150 padyatris (marchers),” tweeted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sept. 30. Wangchuk also posted a video showing hundreds of police officers blocking their path at the Delhi’s border as they proceeded towards the capital. Police claim the detainees, who had peacefully walked 1,000 kilometres from Ladakh to advocate for Ladakh’s autonomy, violated “prohibitory orders” amid a sensitive climate.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s 1,000-KM Walk for Ladakh’s Autonomy
More than 100 volunteers, led by climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, are part of a month-long 1,000-kilometre walk from Ladakh to Delhi. The journey, called the “Delhi Chalo Padyatra” and which started on Sept. 1, aims to revive discussions on Ladakh’s four-point agenda after talks with the central government stalled in March.