Renowned education reformer Sonam Wangchuk has kickstarted a four-day long peaceful march from Ladakh's Leh district in support of the region's long-standing demands. Titled ‘Delhi Chalo padyatra', the walk aims to underscore key agenda points that Ladakh has been seeking from the centre for quite some time now.
According to sources close to the march, the four points highlighted include job reservations for locals, constitutional safeguards to protect land and culture, relaxation in domicile rules and most importantly, the implementation of the sixth schedule for Ladakh – which would provide greater autonomy to the region.
Wangchuk, who is leading over 50 locals and supporters in the multi-day march, hopes to peacefully reiterate these critical issues directly with lawmakers in Delhi. Hailing from Ladakh himself, the educationist turned social activist has been championing the cause of the region's holistic development for many years.
The padyatra, if successful, could prove to be an important step in bringing more national focus and action on Ladakh's long-standing demands. Starting from Leh, the peaceful march will cover over 250 km in phases before culminating in the capital next week. With no further disturbances reported so far, the focus remains on furthering Ladakh's concerns through non-violent and democratic means.
