The Delhi Police informed the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his associates from Ladakh have ended their protest and fast after discussions.
Recently, the Delhi High Court had sought a response from the police regarding a plea seeking permission for Wangchuk’s climate protest at Jantar Mantar.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, informed the bench that Wangchuk ended his fast following discussions, suggesting that the petition was no longer necessary.
The bench, comprising Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Amit Sharma, acknowledged this and dismissed the plea as withdrawn. Advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing the petitioner, also stated that the petition was no longer being pursued.
The original plea sought permission for Wangchuk and others to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar to raise environmental awareness and demand Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.
The petitioner, Apex Body Leh, approached the Delhi High Court seeking permission for Sonam Wangchuk and other participants to hold a peaceful hunger strike (Anshan) at Jantar Mantar or another suitable location. The plea emphasized the fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee the right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
The plea stated that around 200 participants embarked on a peaceful Padyatra from Leh, Ladakh, to New Delhi, covering over 900 kilometres in 30 days, to raise awareness about the ecological and cultural degradation of Ladakh and the broader Himalayan region.
The petitioners sought to hold an awareness campaign and peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar or another appropriate location in Delhi. However, the Delhi Police rejected the request for the Padyatra protest, citing “No valid grounds.” The petition claimed that the police’s rejection of the request infringed on the fundamental rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
The plea further stated that the Delhi Police had not provided valid or reasonable grounds for rejecting the peaceful march request, despite the non-violent nature of the Padyatra.
(With ANI Inputs)
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