The Supreme Court has questioned the grounds for detaining Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), saying the government was reading "too much" into his statements. A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale made the observation while hearing the plea moved by Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo against his preventive detention.
Opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj submitted that Wangchuk had warned that a violent agitation, similar to the one in Nepal, could take place in Ladakh and young people were expressing doubts in the effectiveness of peaceful methods.
The court, however, said Wangchuk had expressed worry about the same.
"He is worried... We will have to take the entire sentence... read it... 'some people are abandoning Gandhian peaceful ways. This is worrying'...the focus is departure from non-violent way, departure is something worrying," the court pointed out.
In response, ASG Nataraj said Wangchuk had used "hybrid expressions" in his speech. At this, the court said, "Too much of reading (into)."
Later, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the court should not compare Wangchuk with Mahatma Gandhi. "I was told that your lordships read Gandhiji's last speech. Let us not glorify something which is completely anti-India with the father of the nation," Mehta said.
The court, however, said it was read in some different context. Mehta expressed concern that the media would highlight it in a different manner. "Let it not become tomorrow's headline that your lordships compared the petitioner to Gandhiji. We will have to see the context. This health facade is also a social media facade," the Solicitor General said.
The court said it was not concerned with what happens outside.
"Why are you trying to make a mountain of a molehill? If you say we should not ask questions, we will not ask," the Bench said, asking ASG Nataraj to resume his arguments.
Wangchuk has been detained under the NSA following protests in Leh in September over demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory of Ladakh
The hearing will resume tomorrow.
