Ladakh Admin Cancels HIAL Land Allotment; Wangchuk, Leh Apex Body Call It ‘Witch-Hunt’
Leh: The Ladakh administration has cancelled land allotted to the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), a move strongly criticised by its founder, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who called it a “witch-hunt” aimed at suppressing demands for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB), which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has been spearheading the agitation for these demands, also condemned the decision, warning that any consequences would be the responsibility of those “trying to suppress our voice.”
According to an order issued by Leh Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk on August 21, the 1,076 kanal (over 53 hectares) of land leased to HIAL in Phyang has “escheated to the State.” The order said the land, originally leased for 40 years, had not been used for its intended purpose since no recognised university had been set up. It also noted that no formal lease agreement or handing over of land had taken place.
Rejecting the allegations, HIAL co-founder and CEO Gitanjali Angmo, alongside Wangchuk, termed the order “motivated” and said they would challenge it in court. “HIAL was established in 2017-18. Over 400 students have completed long- and short-term programmes with us. This is an alternative university model that doesn’t require UGC recognition, though we applied for it in March 2022,” she said, adding that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan himself had acknowledged their initiative publicly.
Angmo further alleged that their UGC file has been stalled for three years because of Wangchuk’s association with the Ladakh agitation. She said the institute has signed MoUs with several international universities and has been hosting foreign students for research. “Instead of sabotaging, such institutions should be supported if the government truly believes in nationalism and wants India to shine on the global education map,” she said.
Wangchuk criticised the administration for cancelling the allotment without consulting the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), calling it a violation of its mandate. “This is a matter of grave concern for the people of Ladakh. We will fight this in court,” he asserted.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjey also linked the move to attempts to silence the demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards. “If they think such acts will weaken our resolve, they are mistaken. We will not be cowed down,” he said.
