Don’t let music become louder than unanswered questions: Gitanjali Angmo on Ladakh Festival

Educator and activist Gitanjali J. Angmo on Saturday (September 26, 2026) questioned the timing of the administration’s Ladakh Festival, which coincides with the ‘Martyrs Month’ being observed in the Union Territory to remember the killing of four Leh residents and the arrest of her husband Sonam Wangchuk last year during an agitation demanding Ladakh’s Statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.

The four locals were killed in firing by security forces on September 24, 2025. Two days later, Mr. Wangchuk was arrested and jailed under the National Security Act. This year, the Ladakh administration is holding a festival from September 26 to 28, “to bring together local artisans, performers, and visitors from around the world to honour the true spirit of Ladakh”.