Centre Defends NSA Detention of Sonam Wangchuk in Supreme Court

The Central government informed the Supreme Court that activist Sonam Wangchuk used polarising language, described the Union government as “them”, and attempted to influence GenZ, which justified his preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

The matter arose from a petition filed by his wife questioning the detention imposed after protests in Ladakh over demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule status.

The Centre claimed that Wangchuk made inflammatory remarks, referred to developments in Nepal, Bangladesh and the Arab Spring, and encouraged ideas such as self-immolation and referendums.

It also submitted that Ladakh is strategically important for defence supply routes and that the district magistrate acted lawfully in ordering detention.