Congress Councillor Charged Following Ladakh Violence, BJP Alleges Instigation of Mob

The political temperature in Ladakh has spiked following an outbreak of violence during a protest for statehood and constitutional safeguards, with a Congress councillor being charged and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching a direct attack on the Opposition party, alleging involvement in instigating the unrest.

The Charge and BJP’s Claim

Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, the Congress Councillor for the Upper Leh Ward, has been formally charged by the local police in connection with the massive violence that engulfed Leh city. The unrest saw an angry mob set fire to the BJP office and vandalize other government property, including the Hill Council Secretariat and police vehicles.

Following the violence, senior BJP leaders swiftly went on the offensive, claiming that Tsepag was not just present but actively participated in and instigated the mob. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya posted images and videos on social media, alleging that the Congress councillor was “rioting in Ladakh” and could be “clearly seen instigating the mob.” Other BJP spokespersons echoed this sentiment, attempting to link the protests directly to the Congress party, and in some instances, even to national opposition leaders. The BJP suggested the violence was part of a “nefarious design” to create instability, comparing the situation to political unrest seen in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Context: Statehood and Sixth Schedule Demand

The violence erupted amid a long-running protest by the people of Ladakh, led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), demanding full statehood for the Union Territory and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The Sixth Schedule provides administrative autonomy and governance powers to certain tribal areas. The protest escalated dramatically after two activists participating in a long-term hunger strike had to be hospitalised due to their deteriorating health.

Counter-Narratives and Activist’s Response

The narrative put forth by the BJP, however, has been strongly contested. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been the most prominent face of the statehood protest and recently called off his 15-day hunger strike after the violence, dismissed the BJP’s allegations against the Congress.

Wangchuk, while expressing deep sorrow over the vandalism, stated that the Congress party lacked the necessary influence in the region to mobilise thousands of youth for such a massive demonstration. He termed the protest an “outburst” of genuine “youth’s anger” and a “Gen Z revolution,” stemming from deep-seated frustration over unfulfilled promises, years of joblessness, and a perceived lack of democratic rights since Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory in 2019. He acknowledged that the Congress councillor had reached the hospital in anger after people from his village were injured, but maintained that the scale of the protest was organic, not orchestrated by any single political party.

The Government’s Stance

The Ministry of Home Affairs, meanwhile, has also squarely laid the blame for the violence on the “provocative statements” of activist Sonam Wangchuk, alleging that a mob was instigated by his remarks and left the hunger strike venue to attack government and political offices.

The contrasting allegations—from the central government blaming the leading activist to the BJP focusing its accusations on a Congress leader—highlight the intense political framing of a local protest that has tragically turned violent, resulting in casualties and injuries among both protesters and security personnel. Prohibitory orders have since been imposed in Leh to restore law and order, even as the political blame game continues.