CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat and John Britas, member of parliament visited the site of indefinite hunger strike by Sonum Wangchuk and several others from Ladakh, on October 7 to express solidarity.

It is a reflection of the authoritarian nature of the Modi government that the 150 activists from Ladakh who had come in a peaceful padayatra all the way to the capital were not allowed to sit on dharna in the capital. Instead they were arrested, ill-treated and now confined to Ladakh Bhavan where they have started an indefinite hunger strike. Their main demand is for sixth schedule status to protect the land of Ladakh from corporate mining companies and other private projects without the consent of the tribal population. This was a step promised by the BJP in its 2019 manifesto.

The CPI(M) expresses its support for sixth schedule status and demands that the concerned government ministers should immediately meet Sonum Wangchuk and his team and resolve the issues.