Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday ended the hunger strike he was leading for the statehood of Ladakh and the protection of the fragile Himalayan ecology. Wangchuk, however, stressed that it was the end of his hunger strike and not the movement as women protesters would go on the ‘climate fast’ from tomorrow.
Sonam Wangchuk Ended Hunger Strike On Tuesday
Wangchuk ended his hunger strike hours after he made a fresh appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill promises made to the people.
Reminding the prime minister of the promises made by the BJP in its election manifestoes, Wangchuk said Modi is a devotee of Lord Ram and should follow his teaching of ‘pran jaye par vachan na jaye‘ (one may lose their life, but must not break their promise).
Sonam Says It Just the End Of Phase 1
“This is just the end of phase 1 of the hunger strike of 21 days and not the end of the movement. From tomorrow, the hunger strike of women would start and it would continue similarly as long as it takes,” Wangchuk told his supporters gathered at the venue.
Wangchuk said that around 60,000 of Ladakh’s 3 lakh residents have participated in the hunger strike demonstrating their pain but “no word came from this government”.
Sonam Wangchuk On a Hunger Strike Since 6 March
Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned education reformist, had been on ‘climate fast’ in sub-zero temperatures of Leh since March 6 after the talks over statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule hit a deadlock.
Leh-based Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are jointly spearheading the agitation to raise their demands.