As Ladakh marked the first anniversary of the violence that killed four civilians in police firing in Leh, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called for Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation, blaming him for what he called a “massacre” in Ladakh.

Addressing crowds after a 20-km march to commemorate the deaths of four Ladakhis on September 24 last year, Wangchuk said: “Amit Shah must resign and take responsibility for the massacre in Ladakh. He will have to take responsibility for these deaths. Amit Shah must resign”.

All of Ladakh remained shut on Thursday to mark its protest against the police action last year that left four locals dead. In his speech, Wangchuk lauded the people of Ladakh for fighting for the country, “without wearing the uniform” and emphasised that “these people were forced to agitate” for their demands.

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He said the movement remained peaceful for six years and questioned “the need for violence” in 2025. The real question, he told the gathering, is why the violence occurred and who is responsible for it.

“In their (BJP) 2020 election manifesto, they said that they will provide protections under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. It was the top point in their manifesto. And then they turned around. When our young people attempted to remind them of their promises, they were either beaten or booked in police stations. All of this has been directed through Delhi,” Wangchuk said.

Recalling a visit by Ladakhi representatives to Delhi for talks with the Centre, Wangchuk said “they promised them everything”, but that after two years and 15 rounds of talks, “Amit Shah ji told them that they will not give Sixth Schedule, and asserted that even if the Prime Minister gave this (assurance) in writing, even then I will not extend this protection (to Ladakh)”.

Wangchuk underscored that the root cause of the agitation in Ladakh is the Centre’s overturning of its promise to provide Ladakh protections under the Sixth Schedule. “If they had kept their word on this, then would we continue our agitation for all this time? These (four) deaths occurred due to them betraying their promises,” Wangchuk told the crowds at the NDS Sports Complex in Leh.

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He added that the people of Ladakh do not lack courage and “we understand justice”, adding that justice for Ladakh is a responsibility of the whole country, “because whenever the country has needed us, the people of Ladakh have shown up”.

Four protesters were killed and 44 injured as police fired after a protest for statehood and the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh turned violent in Leh on September 24 last year. After the protests, Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike at the time of the incident, was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in Jodhpur jail for six months.

Wangchuk’s speech comes days after the Centre proposed a constitutional provision of Article 371(K) in a bid to extend additional protections to Ladakh during a meeting of the sub-committee with the MHA earlier this month over greater democratic representation and constitutional protections for the region.

On Wednesday, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the withdrawal of criminal cases against 20 of the 87 people booked in the aftermath of that incident. Quashing of the cases has been a key demand of the representatives who have been part of a dialogue with the Centre.