Ladakh’s fasting climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has confronted the “government of India” with a loaded question of whether it only understands the language of the gun.

He also put the onus on the government to prove that it understood the language of peace that Ladakhis stood for.

Wangchuk, who has emerged as the face of Ladakh for its agitation for special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and statehood, is sitting on a “fast unto death” in Leh. His fast entered the 11th day on Saturday.

Wangchuk had touched the army’s nerve last week by claiming the morale of Indian soldiers facing China and Pakistan in the Union Territory was at its weakest because of the alleged discontent among its three most battle-hardened components — Ladakhis, Sikhs and Gorkhas.

On Friday evening, Wangchuk trained his guns on the Centre, asking questions that were seen as taboo under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule.

“END OF DAY 10 OF #CLIMATEFAST. Does India only understand the language of the gun...! Well Ladakh wants to prove it wrong,” he said in a post on X.

In a video, he asked whether there was any space for peace in India.

“Recently, I went to states in the Northeast to learn from them about different safeguards (they enjoy),” Wangchuk said.

“During interactions with people, an advocate asked me how many (recognised) languages were there in India. I said 22, to which he said it was 22 plus one and that was the language of guns, the language the government of India understands.”

Wangchuk said that all accords in the Northeast had followed armed struggles “whether it is that of Mizos Naga, Tripura or Bodos”.

“I felt very hurt and said Ladakh will have to prove that if they say there are 23 languages, there are 24 languages. The 24th language is the language of peace, where we hurt ourselves but not others. The government should understand this language of peace.”

Wangchuk said it was for the government to prove that it understands the language of peace “on which Ladakh is treading”.

The central government has cold-shouldered Ladakh’s calls for statehood and special status despite several rounds of talks between the two sides.

Wangchuk said around 125 people, from different Ladakhi villages, sat on a fast with him on Friday night under the open sky at -15°C.

“I don’t understand why the government is not listening to this peaceful agitation, a cry to Mother India,” he asked.

He has asked Ladakhis to join him on a fast from their respective places on Sunday to magnify their voice.