Three Idiots Fame Sonam Wangchuk Is On Hunger Strike Against Government Policy On Ladakh

Activist and innovator and Bollywood superhit movie 'Three Idiots' fame Sonam Wangchuk of Ladakh is on hunger strike for 16 days. 

He has been protesting with his hundreds of fellowmen in Leh city of Ladakh from 6 March in protest against the Indian central government's policy in Ladakh. They named this protests CLIMATEFAST and doing this having only water and salt. 

Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has expressed solidarity with him and observed a general strike for half an hour on Wednesday. 

Today (21 March) marks 16th day of the protests. Sonam Wangchuk has been regularly updating about protests on his X handle. 

BEGINNING OF DAY 16 OF CLIMATEFAST

The protests leader says today (21 March) is their 16th day of climatefast. In an X post Wangchuk said, "120 people sleeping outdoors under clear skies. Temperature: - 8 °C."

"16 days of just water n salts is finally taking a toll. Feeling quite week. But I can still drag for another 25 days n perhaps will."

"I'm sure our path of truth will win eventually. In Anna Hazare's case Parliament unanimously passed the Lokpal Bill by the 13th day of his fast. Mahatma Gandhi had to sit for 21 days. Let's see how long ours takes...! We shall overcome some... day."

Three Idiots' Rancho

Three Idiots' Wangchuck was the hero of the movie, who's nickname was 'Rancho'. As the movie story goes, three friends went to Leh, the capital of Ladakh, in search of their dear friend who were once classmates in engineering university. 

The character 'rancho' of the movie is actually Ladakh environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk. He has been agitating for a long time demanding the speedy implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of the Union Territory along with the demand for full statehood of Ladakh.

On Wednesday, Sonam Wangchuk said he and other activists are planning a border march very soon to highlight the 'ground reality'.

He declared, 'Our nomadic population is endangered due to the establishment of huge Indian factories in the south and Chinese occupation in the north. To highlight these issues, we are planning a border march with 10,000 Ladakhi shepherds and farmers soon.

According to the Indian media Hindustan Times, Sonam Wangchuk has been protesting with four demands in this hunger strike. 

The demands are: first, To implement the Union Territory status that New Delhi was supposed to give to Ladakh as per the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. 

Second, a separate Public Service Commission should be set up for Ladakh. Thirdly, two separate Lok Sabha seats to be created in Leh and Kargil. 

And fourth, a lot of industry is being developed in Ladakh. As a result, the possibility of natural disasters is increasing. Even if the people's livelihood is good for now, the entire Ladakh will be destroyed in a few days. So Sonam Wangchuk has been demanding special measures to protect Ladakh and other Himalayan regions.

Sonam Wangchuk alleged that the BJP led central government has refused to fulfill its promises after four years of delay. 

This has resulted in a violation of people's trust and confidence in leaders, governments and elections. If this continues, it will set a bad precedent for all elections and governments, he alleged. 

Wangchuk said, the government calls India the 'Mother of Democracy'. But if India denies the democratic rights of the people of Ladakh and keeps it under bureaucrats controlled from New Delhi, it can be called the 'step mother of democracy' in the case of Ladakh.

The hunger strike on 16 days today. At least 250 to 300 Ladakhis are spending day and night with him under the open sky at minus 15 degrees. However, the central government is yet to take any initiative.