The violence that led to the killing of four people in police firing and injuries to over 60 people in Ladakh on Wednesday is an escalation point in protests in the union territory over demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Climate activist and Magsaysay Award winner Sonam Wangchuk commenced a hunger strike on September 10 to press the demands. Wangchuk, a highly regarded leader in the region, has staged protests earlier to highlight the demands and enjoys overwhelming popular support for his cause. He has called off his strike following the violence unleashed by a group of people who destroyed public property, attacked security personnel, and vandalised a BJP office. The trigger to the violence was the deterioration in the health of two fasting prot

See Full Page