“He Wants Ladakh to Become Nepal or Bangladesh”: Centre Tells Supreme Court While Defending Sonam Wangchuk’s NSA Detention

Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday heard a fresh challenge to the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), with the Centre mounting a strong defence and alleging that his statements could destabilise the sensitive border region of Ladakh.

A bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Prasanna B. Varale took up the petition questioning the legality of Wangchuk’s detention. Representing the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made sharp submissions, arguing that Wangchuk’s speeches and warnings were not merely protests but carried dangerous implications.

Addressing the bench, Mehta claimed that Wangchuk had repeatedly drawn parallels between Ladakh and unrest seen in neighbouring countries. “He wants Ladakh to become Nepal or Bangladesh,” the Solicitor General told the court, asserting that such remarks could provoke serious law-and-order consequences in a strategically sensitive area.

Mehta further alleged that Wangchuk had been influencing young people by invoking examples of mass uprisings. “He is misleading the young generation to do what Nepalese did in their country,” he said, adding that references to unrest in Nepal were used to fuel anger among the youth.

According to the Centre, Wangchuk had also spoken about the presence of armed forces in Ladakh. “He said that the presence of armed personnel is making the youth angry and the outcome will be similar to that of Nepal,” Mehta submitted, stressing that such statements could inflame tensions in a border region.

The Solicitor General went on to argue that Wangchuk had even speculated about the fallout of his own arrest. “What will happen if I am sent to jail, he said? There will be events like Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,” Mehta told the bench, underlining the government’s concern over the potential ripple effects of such messaging.

The court was informed that the matter involves national security considerations due to Ladakh’s geographical sensitivity. The bench scheduled the next hearing for Tuesday at 2 pm.

Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the NSA on September 26, 2025, and later shifted to Jodhpur. His detention came two days after violent protests erupted in Ladakh over demands for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The unrest resulted in four deaths and left around 90 people injured. The administration has accused Wangchuk of playing a role in inciting the protests, an allegation that his supporters strongly deny.