Wife Gitanjali Angmo Defends Sonam Wangchuk Amid ‘Vishwaguru’ Smear Campaign
New Delhi: Director of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) Gitanjali Angmo today (September 30) asked the BJP-led Union government to prove the allegations of foreign links and financial irregularities against her husband and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk who was incarcerated under the stringent National Security Act last week.
She said that the government has not provided them with a formal detention order for Wangchuk who was detained and shifted to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan on September 27, “We will use the best legal system to defend him and fight the case. We will not rest till the case is fought and truth has been revealed,” she said.
Angmo said that her husband’s work has been recognised nationally and internationally and the HIAL was awarded the first prize for designing passive solar heated buildings in Ladakh by the Union energy minister R.K. Singh. The university’s ice stupa project was also awarded by the Union tribal affairs ministry, she said.
“HIAL was also given the best eco-project by this government. If he (Sonam) was anti-national, why was the government awarding his efforts? Why did Sonam become an anti-national within a month? This is all being done to frame him,” she said.
‘How will others get motivated?’
Speaking with the media at the Press Club of India here, Angmo said that her husband’s work has been recognised nationally and internationally, alleging that the government was “trying to “frame him” for standing with the Ladakh cause and “shamefully treating him like a criminal”.
Elaborating on her work, she said that the HIAL has designed 1.8 lakh square feet passive solar heated structures in Ladakh, some of which are used by the army in the high-altitude cold desert which save more than 4000 tonnes of carbon per month.
“The whole world talks about carbon neutral but Ladakh is carbon negative. People talk about net zero but we are net-positive. If we treat the person behind this good work like a criminal and create an atmosphere of fear with curfew, then how will India become ‘Vishwa Guru’ and how will others get motivated?” she said.
Curfew continued to remain in force in the capital Leh city of Ladakh for the seventh consecutive day with the Union home ministry (MHA) extending the ban on mobile internet till October 3 on Tuesday.
Without taking names, Angmo said that the officials of the government have levelled “baseless allegations” against her husband, “I openly challenge anyone who sees any problem in our work. We have facts, evidence and papers which will prove that all these allegations are wrong,” she said.
‘Ice stupa’ and futuristic research
The HIAL director and social entrepreneur said that Wangchuk was “subjected to a witch-hunt” by the authorities because of his advocacy for Ladakh. Angmo also rejected the allegations of financial irregularities in HIAL and FCRA violations. She claimed that their NGO whose FCRA license was cancelled last week has not accepted any foreign donations.
“Our futuristic research has been bought by foreign universities and there is nothing in it to be ashamed of. These (payments) are all covered under service agreements and even the CBI has accepted that there’s been no violation. Rather, it is a matter of pride that the research of an Indian university is being valued and appreciated outside,” she said.
Angmo said that the HIAL has signed MoU with several international universities and more than 400 students have passed out with various courses. “Our research has been adopted by the UT government (in Ladakh). Since last year, the ice stupa has been tendered and implemented across the region. Similarly, the new tourism policy has made passive solar heating mandatory for new hotels and commercial buildings,” she said.
Going to Pakistan
Reacting to the allegations of her husband’s Pakistan links, she said that Wangchuk attended a climate conference in the neighbouring country which was organised in February by the United Nations and Islamabad-based Dawn media group.
“I want to ask: what is wrong with it? The Hindukush mountains touch eight countries and provide water to more than two billion people. My husband praised the prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mission LIFE’ from the stage.”
She said that the MHA is answerable for the allegations that a Pakistani national was in touch with her husband. The ministry had in a statement last week alleged that a Pakistani PIO was in contact with the climate activist and passing information across the border, though the statement didn’t specify the nature of the information that was being passed.
“If a Pakistani was seen in Ladakh, why was the safety protocol violated and why was he allowed to roam freely?” she asked.
‘Does the government award anti-nationals?’
Angmo said that the MHA had levelled allegations that her husband received funds for a project on Indian sovereignty, “Food sovereignty which talks about how locals can become self-sufficient has been interpreted as national security to punish my husband. The allegation is baseless and ridiculous,” she said.
The HIAL director said that 60 Indians have won Magsaysay Award winner, an achievement which has been used by some to “tarnish” her husband’s image. “Out of these 60, 20 have been given Padma Vibushan award. Does that mean that the government gives awards to anti-nationals?” she said.
On the September 24 violence in Leh during which four civilian protesters were shot dead by security forces, Angmo blamed the Ladakh Union territory administration led by Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta and director general of police S.D. Jamwal.
“Sonam was sitting in the park and he had no idea. My husband stood for Gandhian values. He didn’t indulge in violence or instigation for the last five years. If violence has happened now, he doesn’t have to answer for it. It is the UT administration – the LG and the DGP who have to answer to the people of Ladakh why there was a breach and violence,” she said.
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