The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that the recent violence in Ladakh, resulting in four deaths and over 80 injuries, was instigated by Congress. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra identified Congress councillor Stanzin Tsepang as a significant provocateur, alleging he was filmed leading mobs and carrying a weapon while approaching the BJP office. The party further connected the unrest to a wider Congress agenda, accusing Rahul Gandhi of promoting movements akin to political uprisings seen in Bangladesh and Nepal. The situation deteriorated as protests advocating for Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule turned violent, with demonstrators throwing stones, setting vehicles ablaze, and burning the BJP’s Leh office.
In response, police used live ammunition, batons, and tear gas, resulting in several casualties. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta labeled the clashes a conspiracy and confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against the Congress councillor. Additionally, Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, circulated images purportedly depicting Tsepang inciting the crowd. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk countered these accusations, asserting that Congress does not exert significant influence in the area. He noted that the frustration among Gen Z youth—who had previously been disengaged from protests—erupted following injuries to villagers and a history of unmet demands.
Wangchuk, who recently completed a 15-day hunger strike, expressed his sadness over the violence but emphasized that it was the youth’s disillusionment, rather than any political conspiracy, that sparked the unrest. The protests stem from years of demands for Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion since the revocation of Article 370.
