"Was not allowed to meet Sonam Wangchuk..." says Delhi CM Atishi

New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Atishi who went to meet the detained protesters of Ladakh at Bawana police station on Tuesday complained that she was not allowed to meet Sonam Wangchuk, the activist leading the protest, demanding autonomy for Ladakh.

"People of Ladakh want statehood. Sonam Wangchuk and the people of Ladakh, who were going to visit Bapu's Samadhi, were arrested. They did not let me meet Sonam Wangchuk. This is the dictatorship of the BJP. We fully support Sonam Wangchuk"

Criticizing the BJP, Atishi claimed that the LG of Delhi had played a role in stopping her from meeting with the protestors.

"I am fully confident that these police officers must have received a call from LG Sahab that the representative of the elected government, Delhi CM should not be allowed to meet Sonam Wangchuk. We strongly condemn it. Ladakh should get the status of a full state and Delhi should also get the status of a full state," Atishi said.

"Today the central government of the Bharatiya Janata Party leaves no stone unturned in killing democracy, snatching the right to vote. Why were they arrested? Why am I being stopped from meeting them? Because the Bharatiya Janata Party is afraid of democracy and today I am saying with confidence that if such dictatorship of the Bharatiya Janata Party continues, LG rule will end in Ladakh, LG rule will end in Delhi and the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party will end in the Central Government here as well," she added.

Meanwhile, a large number of people gathered in Ladakh to protest against the detention of people from the Union terriroty in the nationalcapital.

People took to the streets in Leh to demand the release of Sonam Wangchuk and chanted slogans of "Delhi Police Shame Shame".

Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa on Tuesday arrived at the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana after activist Sonam Wangchuk and others were detained by the police here late Monday night.

Speaking to ANI, Hanifa said that everyone is aware of how Ladakh has been having talks with the government for protecting the environmental and constitutional rights.

"We are all aware of for the last three years, we had been fighting for our rights peacefully. We even had talks with the government for the same but they stopped after the elections and the formation of the new government. We set out on foot from Leh under the banner of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Apex Body to present our views to the government. After Wangchuk was detained by the police, we marched to discuss our issues with the government. However, Wangchuk and the members, including several women, were detained at different areas," Hanifa said.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border on Monday night. Section 163 of the BNS has been imposed at Delhi borders, said Delhi Police.

Wangchuk and other volunteers were embarking on a foot march from Leh to New Delhi to urge the Centre to resume dialogue with Ladakh's leadership regarding their demands.

One of their key demands is for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, granting law-making powers to the local population to protect their land and cultural identity. (ANI)