Renowned Sonam Wangchuk officially ended his hunger strike in the Leh region of Ladakh on Tuesday, after 21 days, to advocate for climate conservation and innovative educational methods.

The hunger strike, which garnered significant attention and support, was organized by Wangchuk to advocate for granting statehood to Ladakh and including it in the sixth schedule of the constitution, aiming to protect the region’s unique cultural and environmental heritage.

Addressing the crowd at the protest site, inspired by the presence of thousands of supporters, Wangchuk declared, “While the first phase of our hunger strike ends today, it marks the beginning of a new phase in our struggle.” He emphasized that despite the end of the hunger strike, their movement for justice and recognition would continue.

Wangchuk said, “We will continue to strive to fulfill our demands.” He highlighted strong public support, with over 10,000 people gathering at the venue and an additional 60,000 participating in the past 20 days.

Earlier in the day, Wangchuk, known for his adept use of social media platforms to spread his message, shared a compelling video reiterating his appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. In the video, he urged the leaders to prioritize the delicate Himalayan ecosystem’s conservation and implement the sixth schedule in Ladakh, a step considered crucial for safeguarding the rights and identity of indigenous communities residing in the region.

As soon as Wangchuk ended his hunger strike, the reverberations of his advocacy echoed far beyond the borders of Ladakh, underscoring the urgency of addressing environmental concerns and emphasizing the imperative to safeguard indigenous cultures amidst the realities of modernization and development.

In a post on Twitter, he said, “350 people – sleeping in 10 degrees Celsius. Here, 5000 people sleep during the day. Yet, not a word from the government. We need honest, visionary, and knowledgeable politicians in this country, not just myopic ones.” Characterless politicians. And I am hopeful that @narendramodi ji and @AmitShah ji will soon prove that they are politicians.

The activist emphasized the importance of exercising their voting rights diligently to contribute to the nation’s welfare in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, urging citizens to utilize their voting rights responsibly.