Days after the Ladakh administration cancelled the land allotment to the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), Pakistani handles on social media have extended support to ‘activist’ Sonam Wangchuk.
Wangchuk, who had travelled to Pakistan earlier in February 2025 to attend a ‘climate conference’, had dubbed the decision of the local administration as ‘an attack on Ladakh.’
In the meantime, Pakistani accounts are amplifying the fake narrative that Sonam Wangchuk is somehow being victimised by the Indian government.
They are deliberately misleading about the internal matter of India and characterising the decision by the Ladakh administration as a ‘political move to silence voices demanding statehood.’
The Background of the Controversy
The year was 2018. The local administration had allotted around 135 acres of land in Phywang village of Leh to ‘activist’ Sonam Wangchuk and his Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL).
The parcel of land was leased for a period of 40 years. On 21st August this year, the Deputy Commissioner of Leh cancelled the land allotment in its entirety.
The administration was forced to take the drastic decision since the allotted land was not being used for the purpose agreed upon by both parties.
‘Activist’ Sonam Wangchuk had failed to establish an accredited university to date on the 135 acres of land. At the same time, he has neither executed the lease agreement nor formally handed over the land to the Tehsildar.
In his order, the Deputy Commissioner of Leh, Romil Singh Donk, stated, “The allotment order has lapsed on 5-5-2019 and is deemed to have been cancelled as per condition No IV of the allotment order.”
He further added the land ‘stands escheated to the State’ and directed the Tehsildar to ‘remove all the encumbrances’ from the allotted land and update the revenue records.
Fake claims about ‘witchhunt’
Since the order of the Ladakh administration, ‘activist’ Sonam Wangchuk has left no stone unturned to portray himself as the victim of government-enabled hegemony.
“The decision to cancel the land allotment to HIAL has been taken when people of Ladakh are demanding their rights, safeguards and democracy. It seems to be a witch-hunting process,” he had alleged.
Similar claims of a supposed ‘witchhunt’ have been made by political groups such as Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). However, the reality is starkly different.
The truth that Sonam Wangchuk doesn’t want you to know
‘Activist’ Sonam Wangchuk has not paid rent for several years for 135 acres of land, whose present market value is between ₹27 and ₹30 crores. This was despite the issuance of notices by the Deputy Commissioner under Clause 4(b).
At the same time, no university was set up within one-year period of the lease agreement. Interestingly, HIAL applied for ‘university status’ only in 2022, i.e. 4 years after land allotment.
This gives us a sneak peek into the non-compliance with the lease agreement by Sonam Wangchuk. But this has not stopped the ‘activist’ from making frivolous claims of regulatory hurdles.
Coincidentally, HIAL did not approach the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) for 3 years. It attempted to bypass the council by directly reaching out to the Deputy Commissioner of Leh.
Moreover, Sonam Wangchuk has claimed that the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) was granted a waiver of ₹14 crore premium.
However, the request was never accepted by LAHDC. As such, no exemption of any kind exists in official records.
As a matter of fact, complaints were filed against HIAL for violation of land use. A letter to this effect was fired off to LAHDC by the Sarparnch and Nambardar of Phyang village in Leh in February 2020.
Given the circumstances and multiple violations of the lease agreement, the Ladkah administration was forced to cancel the land allotment to HIAL.
‘Activist’ Sonam Wangchuk did not bother to comply with the lease agreement or resolve grievances raised by LAHDC. Despite defaulting on payment for all these years, he is now pretending to be the victim of a political vendetta.
The violations by HIAL and Sonam Wangchuk are now documented through administrative records, notices and the Executive Councillor within the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
While it is obvious for the ‘activist’ to be rattled, it is important to note that Sonam Wangchuk is receiving overwhelming support from across the border.
It is a matter of grave concern given that Pakistan is eyeing to create discord in the Indian territory through half-truths and conspiracy theories.
‘Activist’ Sonam Wangchuk is actively aiding them to disseminate anti-India propaganda by not being truthful about his misuse of public resources.
