NEW DELHI, Jan 8:
Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the tenor of her husband’s speech was not to propagate violence, but to quell it, and facts are being manipulated to portray him as a criminal.
Angmo also told the top court that Wangchuk was not provided with the “complete grounds” of his detention and was not given a proper opportunity to make a representation to the authority concerned against detention.
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Hearing in the matter remained inconclusive and will continue on January 12.
Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025, two days after violent protests demanding Statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory. The Government has accused him of inciting the violence.
The NSA empowers the Centre and States to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Angmo, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that Wangchuk was detained by the administration to prevent him from indulging in the prejudicial activities.
Playing a video of Wangchuk’s speech in the top court, Sibal said the climate activist made a speech while breaking his hunger strike.
“I said I cannot accept this violence, and we should stop this violence, and I am appealing to you to stop this violence. That is the video I wanted to play to your lordship. You might remember that Gandhiji did the same when there was violence after the Chauri Chaura incident,” the senior advocate said, adding that facts were being manipulated to show that Wangchuk is a “criminal”.
“The tenor of the speech is not in any sense threatening the security of the State or that I will continue such activities or to propagate violence, but to quell it,” Sibal said.
The senior lawyer Stated that the vital video, which is available to the administration, was not placed before the detaining authority with the intent to ensure that the order of detention is passed by keeping him oblivious of what had really happened on September 24, 2025. (PTI)
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