Wangchuk alleges online campaign against him, questions Ladakh LG administration

Leh: Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu for urgent intervention in Ladakh, alleging that the Lieutenant Governor-led administration is running a targeted smear campaign against him and others critical of its policies.

In a video message posted on X, Wangchuk shared excerpts of what he described as a "sting operation" conducted by his lawyers. He alleged that a creative agency linked to two social media pages had been involved in efforts to target him while promoting the work of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Wangchuk said the Facebook and Instagram pages, 'Ladakh Lens' and 'Ladakh Vision', appeared on October 14, a day after Saxena made remarks about him at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai on October 13. He said the timing and similar appearance of the pages prompted his lawyers to investigate the agency allegedly behind them.

The video features excerpts of a conversation between the lawyers and the agency's alleged owner. During the conversation, the person purportedly refers to possible links with the Lieutenant Governor's team, offers to facilitate contacts in Ladakh and mentions a Pune-based company handling the work.

Wangchuk claimed that the conversation indicated the involvement of the Lieutenant Governor's administration in online campaigns against its critics. He also alleged that national resources were being used to discredit Ladakhi leaders.

In his appeal to the President, Wangchuk raised concerns over governance in the Union Territory, alleging curbs on democratic rights and freedom of expression. He claimed that even social media comments and likes had resulted in FIRs and arrests.

He also questioned the administration's land, industrial, power and tourism policies, alleging that they favoured corporate interests at the expense of local communities. Criticising the liquor policy, he claimed that the administration was encouraging liquor outlets in villages by reducing the number of mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from 16 to six.

The appeal comes amid a series of administrative actions involving institutions associated with Wangchuk, including the cancellation of the land lease of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), in August 2025.

The administration had cited the failure to execute the lease deed and pay the required premium within the stipulated period, along with alleged non-compliance with the land's intended use, as reasons for cancelling the lease. It had also directed HIAL not to undertake further activities related to the functioning of its Desert Flower School.

Wangchuk and his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, HIAL's co-founder and CEO, have attributed the delay in finalising the land deal to bureaucratic hurdles. They have alleged that the cancellation was part of a politically motivated campaign linked to their demand for Sixth Schedule safeguards and statehood for Ladakh.

Separately, the labour court in Leh on Saturday reserved its order in a case involving allegations of non-payment of statutory maternity benefits and unfair treatment of a former HIAL employee.

Wangchuk said he had initially shared the purported sting-operation material with a senior Union Home Ministry official, seeking intervention, but communication stopped after a few exchanges.

He said he had been reluctant to make the material public out of concern that it could affect the country's dignity and morale. He added that he had released only selected excerpts of the purported sting operation and was withholding further material from the Lok Niwas for now.

Wangchuk urged President Murmu to ensure equal rights, democratic freedoms and justice for residents of border regions, including Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

There was no immediate reaction from the Lieutenant Governor's office to the allegations.