Ladakh Violence: Sonam Wangchuk Denounces 'Scapegoat' Allegations, Says He Fears No Arrest

He described the Ministry's statement blaming him for the violence as "as sad as the incident itself," criticizing the authorities for handling the issue in what he called a "childish way." Wangchuk accused the government of playing a "blame game" and making him a "scapegoat" to divert attention from unmet promises.

"This is not the way to heal a wound; it will further aggravate the situation and anger the youth," he said. "After subjecting us to six years of joblessness and broken promises, they are now blaming me for everything."

Wangchuk also contested claims made by BJP leader Sambit Patra, who allegedly shared a photo falsely identifying a Congress councillor as a leader of the violence. He demanded an apology from Patra for "unnecessarily harassing a family," alleging that police subsequently raided their home and assaulted people. Furthermore, he claimed that police are arresting members of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) who were actually trying to calm the situation. "This will make it worse," he warned.

The Home Ministry's statement reported that an "unruly mob" destroyed public property and attacked police, injuring about 30 security personnel, leading to police opening fire and resulting in casualties. The Ministry linked the violence to a hunger strike led by Wangchuk that began on September 10, demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule. It stated that despite a planned meeting with LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) leaders on September 26, a "mob guided by Sonam Wangchuk’s provocative statements" caused violence on Wednesday.

Wangchuk concluded by saying he is prepared for potential arrest. "The nation will see that someone who has worked for children and the defence forces is today being harassed to silence his voice," he said, expressing concern that he could be charged under the stringent Public Safety Act.