Examiner Bureau | Leh:
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday warned that he could launch an indefinite hunger strike or undertake a march if those detained during protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar were not released by Sunday.
In a video message posted on X, Wangchuk described the situation in the national capital as an “undeclared emergency” and expressed concern over the detention of political leaders who had planned to participate in a demonstration against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Wangchuk said he had appealed for unity and peace ahead of Saturday’s protest but had not expected several leaders associated with the movement to be taken into custody.
Expressing hope that those detained would be released soon, he warned that their continued detention beyond Sunday could compel him to consider an “Anshan Fast or Padyatra March”.
Among those detained on Saturday were Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora.
Delhi Police continued taking protesters into preventive custody, informing them that permission had not been granted for the gathering.
The detentions came amid heightened political tensions over demands for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and opposition parties’ objections to the SIR exercise. The protests have also triggered a wider debate over restrictions on demonstrations and the handling of political dissent in the national capital.
