Wangchuk's arrest an act of cowardice by Centre, says Shiv Sena (UBT) in Saamana

Mumbai, Oct 1 (IANS) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP-led government at the Centre over the arrest of noted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), calling it an “act of cowardice”.

In a strongly-worded editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Thackeray camp said the government disgraced itself by portraying a Gandhian activist as a traitor. “What did the British do differently?” It asked.

According to the editorial, it was highly condemnable that the BJP-led government at the Centre is making every effort to paint Wangchuk as anti-national. To justify its case, it made the Ladakh Director General of Police announce that Pakistan was behind the Ladakh violence and that Wangchuk has links with Pakistan. The government has made absurd statements that Wangchuk had attended a 'Dawn' newspaper event in Pakistan and visited Bangladesh.

“If Wangchuk had gone to Pakistan or Bangladesh, he would not have sneaked in through some secret route. He obtained visas for both countries on his Indian passport and attended social programs there. Similarly, PM Modi once went to Pakistan for the birthday of the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Bangladesh is considered a friendly country by India. Surprisingly, the Director General of Police of Ladakh is unaware that the BJP-led government at the Centre has given political asylum to the ousted President of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, in India,” said the editorial.

It went on to add that Wangchuk's wife, Geetanjali, even exposed the government's lies, saying that Wangchuk's visit to Pakistan was part of a United Nations conference. The conference was on the subject of the environment and climate change. Wangchuk spoke on climate change at this conference. He went to Pakistan only with the permission of the Indian government. "When this is clear, it is foolish to say that Pakistan has a hand in the violence in Leh and that Wangchuk is responsible for it," it said.

The Thackeray camp said that Wangchuk was on a hunger strike for the demands of the people of Leh and Ladakh, mainly to include it in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and accord full statehood through democratic means.

It recalled that it was PM Modi and the BJP who had made the promise to the people of Leh-Ladakh of full statehood. “But it is quite absurd that instead of fulfilling its promise, the Centre detained Wangchuk under the NSA. It is not new that China has entered Ladakh, but it is admitting that Pakistan has managed to enter there too. This is the government's failure," it alleged.

Thackeray camp further stated that the impact of 'Operation Sindoor' did not go down well with the Pakistanis, as their act of creating terrorism and violence in India continues.

“What action did PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah take against Pakistan, which was creating violence in Ladakh? While India stopped the war with Pakistan, it made a condition that from now on, any attack on Indian territory or violence in the Kashmir Valley would be considered an attack on India, and a befitting reply would be given. So what happened to that befitting reply now?" it asked.

The piece defended Wangchuk’s Gandhian struggle, arguing that his campaigns highlighted pressing concerns -- rising unemployment in Ladakh, land being handed over to industrialists, environmental degradation, and unchecked Chinese intrusions.

“Wangchuk continued to raise his voice against all this patiently. He repeatedly flagged off how China has made inroads in Ladakh. Due to this, PM and the BJP were embarrassed and, as revenge, Wangchuk was arrested, branded a traitor,” claimed the editorial.

Thackeray camp argued that while Wangchuk has been blamed for his Pak links, the ones who played India-Pakistan cricket are being projected as the sons of the ruling party at the Centre.

Drawing a sharp contrast, the editorial accused the BJP of double standards. “Those who played cricket with Pakistan are celebrated as heroes of the ruling party, while Wangchuk -- who speaks for Ladakh’s statehood, alerts the nation about Chinese incursions, and stands for the environment and soldiers of the Himalayas -- is called anti-national. Truth is the essence of Hindutva, but the BJP survives only on lies. These people cannot be called Hindus.”

It said, "Wangchuk's wife, Geetanjali, expressed her anger, which is 100 per cent true.”

--IANS

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