Leh: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s symbolic march in Ladakh to mark the first anniversary of the September 24, 2025, violence saw participation from people from Ladakh and other parts of the country, but none of the senior leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) named in connection with the campaign were present.
Abhijeet Dipke, Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka had publicly expressed support on X after Wangchuk appealed for wider participation in his planned march. However, according to the report, none of the three travelled to Ladakh for the event.
The march was organised against the backdrop of demands for full statehood for Ladakh and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Protests over these demands turned violent in the Union Territory on September 24, 2025, leaving four people dead. Wangchuk announced the September 24 event as a symbolic observance and referred to the day as Martyrs’ Day.
Wangchuk had initially announced a four-day march from September 19 to 24 and appealed to his supporters to participate. He later modified the programme because of adverse weather conditions, eventually holding a one-day march on September 23.
Addressing the issue of participation during the march, Wangchuk told news agency ANI that he had initially appealed to as many people as possible to join him but later did not insist on wider participation. He said those who eventually joined were welcomed.
Meanwhile, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena announced the withdrawal of criminal cases against 20 people in connection with last year’s violence in Leh.
Saxena said on X that the decision was taken in the broader interests of peace, public order and social harmony in Ladakh. According to him, Ladakh Police had recommended closure of cases against the 20 individuals following a comprehensive review. The cases were registered under FIR No. 144/2005 at Leh Police Station.
The developments come as Ladakh continues to witness political mobilisation around demands for greater constitutional and administrative safeguards, while the authorities seek to address the fallout from last year’s violence.
