00:00Ladakh, known for its serene valleys and peaceful environment, has recently been shaken by unexpected
00:29violence that has sent shockwaves across the nation.
00:34Was this unrest a spontaneous public outcry or the result of a deeper, more calculated
00:41conspiracy?
00:43At the centre of this storm is renowned environmentalist and education reformer Sonam Vangchuk, who has
00:50come under scrutiny amid rising tensions in the region.
00:55The Central Bureau of Investigation has launched a probe against Vangchuk's institution, the
01:02Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, over alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution
01:09Regulation Act .
01:13According to Vangchuk, around 10 days ago, a CBI team visited HIAL seeking documents related
01:19to foreign funding between 2022 and 2024.
01:24The investigation is reportedly based on a complaint filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs alleging
01:30that the institution received foreign contributions without the necessary FCRA clearance.
01:38However, Vangchuk strongly denies the allegations.
01:44He claims that the investigators are now demanding records from as far back as 2020 and documents
01:52related to schools affiliated with the institution which provide free education to underprivileged
01:58students.
01:59He also emphasised that students at HIAL often receive scholarships in exchange for working
02:06on real-world projects.
02:09Vangchuk alleges a pattern in the government's actions, calling it a systematic pressure strategy.
02:17The controversy escalated on September 10th when Vangchuk began a hunger strike demanding
02:22that Ladakh be granted statehood and inclusion under the sixth schedule of the constitution.
02:29Just days into the protest, Ladakh witnessed its most severe unrest since 1989.
02:36Protesters, mostly youth, reportedly attacked the BJP headquarters and Hill Council offices,
02:42setting vehicles ablaze.
02:44Police and paramilitary forces had to resort to tear gas shelling to bring the situation
02:49under control.
02:50The violence resulted in four protesters' deaths and over 80 people were injured, including
02:5630 police personnel.
02:59Amid the chaos, BJP's Amit Malviya accused the Congress party of instigating the violence
03:04and posted photos and videos allegedly linking a Congress leader to the protests on his ex-account.
03:11The Ministry of Home Affairs later issued a statement directly linking Vangchuk to the unrest.
03:16After the violence broke out, he ended his hunger strike and quietly left for his village in an
03:26ambulance without making any serious effort to control the situation.
03:31As the CBI investigation continues and tensions in Ladakh simmer, a number of unanswered questions
03:37remain.
03:38Was the violence the result of genuine local frustration over constitutional demands?
03:45Was it fuelled by political agendas and external fundings?
03:49Is Sonam Vangchuk being targeted for his activism or is there more to the story?
03:55Only time and the transparent probe will tell.
04:12Let's end here.
04:13Let's get to it.
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