Akhilesh Yadav Urges Centre to Heed Ladakh Voices, Warns Against 'Political Deafness'

Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Centre for ignoring the demands of Ladakh residents, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, who were detained en route to Delhi. The group sought sixth schedule status for Ladakh and were stopped by police, leading to Wangchuk initiating a fast.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday cautioned the Centre against ''political deafness,'' urging it to listen to the ''voice'' of people from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who were allegedly stopped at Delhi's border by police.

In a post on X in Hindi, Yadav stated, ''Those who are afraid of peace are scared from within. The BJP government cannot achieve anything by obstructing the peaceful Delhi visit of environmentalist and Ladakh well-wisher Sonam Wangchuk ji. If the Centre does not listen to the voice of the border, it will be called its political deafness.'' Around 120 people from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had marched to the national capital demanding sixth schedule status for the Union Territory, were detained by the Delhi Police at the city's border, police sources said. The detained people were taken to Alipur and other police stations along the city border. Wangchuk and others wanted to spend the night at the border. They were initially requested to go back as prohibitory orders were imposed in Delhi but when they did not stop, the policemen who were already deployed at the border detained about 120 men, including Wangchuk, a police officer said. Wangchuk and several others on Tuesday launched an indefinite fast at police stations where they have been kept.

Wangchuk was leading the march, 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra,' which began from Leh a month ago.

(With inputs from agencies.)