‘All is not well with Ladakh’, says Sonam Wangchuk, who inspired super hit movie ‘3 Idiots’

IANS

Srinagar, January 23

 The man who inspired Bollywood’s super hit movie, ‘3 Idiots’ that motivated millions of his fellow countrymen to think positive and say ‘All is Well’, is distraught with the damage being caused to the fragile environment of his native place, Ladakh.

Sonam Wangchuk, Magsaysay award winner, motivational speaker, engineer, innovator and education reformist recently posted a video message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying ‘All is not well with Ladakh’.

ALL IS NOT WELL in Ladakh!
In my latest video I appeal to @narendramodi ji to intervene & give safeguards to eco-fragile Ladakh.
To draw attention of Govt & the world I plan to sit on a 5 day #ClimateFast from 26 Jan at Khardungla pass at 18000ft -40 °Chttps://t.co/ECi3YlB9kU

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) January 21, 2023

In the video clip, Wangchuk makes a strong case for inclusion of Ladakh in the 6th schedule urging Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to take part in the talks regarding the union territory’s future.

He also said that he would hold a symbolic fast from January 26, Republic Day, for five days to raise the issue further and “not from the comfort of a shelter but out in the winter chills”.

“If I survive, I will see you,” he says while signing off.

Wangchuk praised PM Modi for banning ‘single use plastic’. The motivational speaker supports the protests for inclusion of the region in the 6th schedule saying, “Ladakh has nearly 95 per cent of tribal population while the Constitution seeks 50 per cent of tribal population in an area for applicability of 6th Schedule. Anticipations were being made that Ladakh would soon be included. Minister Arjun Munda had also given assurances.” He calls the desire of the people of Ladakh to be included in the 6th schedule as “Ladakh ke Mann ki Baat”.

In the video clip, he also talks about the 2020 Ladakh Hill Council polls that were won by the BJP and the scrapping of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the formation of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir as two separate union territories.

“People of Ladakh are stunned that the government that answered its 70-year-old demand for a union territory has not been heeding this demand,” he says, adding his concerns about the likelihood of businesses expanding in the union territory which is set to further increase burden on limited resources, including water.

“Mining and such activities could melt glaciers. Moreover, Ladakh is strategically important for the military and has played a role in Kargil and other wars,” he asserted.