BJP leader Amit Malviya on Monday questioned the projection of climate activist and education reformist Sonam Wangchuk as the face of a protest movement, alleging that his past record and associations require scrutiny.Talking to social media platform X, Malviya said, “The biggest question is this: how can Sonam Wangchuk be projected as the face of any protest?”He alleged that behind Wangchuk’s “carefully cultivated image of an activist” were “serious allegations relating to financial impropriety, violations of law and matters touching upon national security”.Malviya also questioned the support extended to Wangchuk, alleging that the protest platform had become a gathering of political and ideological figures.
“Even more revealing is who chose to rally around him. The protest platform became a gathering of the usual political-activist ecosystem,” he said.
Listing those associated with the protest, Malviya named Arundhati Roy, Colin Gonsalves, Prashant Bhushan, Nandita Narain, Kunal Kamra and Prakash Raj.
He alleged that Arundhati Roy had publicly questioned Kashmir’s place in India, referred to lawyer Colin Gonsalves’ legal intervention in the case of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab, and mentioned Prashant Bhushan’s midnight plea before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the execution of Yakub Memon. He also referred to Nandita Narain’s recital of Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s “Hum Dekhenge”, Kunal Kamra’s political remarks and Prakash Raj’s participation in the protest.
Malviya further alleged that opposition leaders and journalists had joined the agitation, turning it into what he described as a political spectacle.
“If the objective was genuinely to address a public issue, why was the platform transformed into a congregation of familiar ideological and political actors?” he asked.
The BJP leader also shared a copy of a notice issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, dated February 28, 2007, addressed to Wangchuk, who was then the Director of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).
The notice listed several allegations against Wangchuk and his NGO, including claims of “demoralising Government staff”, bypassing administrative offices, and making baseless allegations against government departments and officials.
The document also alleged that Wangchuk had “illegally occupied 200 kanals of land without paying dues to the government” and accused him of “misusing provisions of the Foreign Contribution Act by misappropriation of funds received from foreign contributions”.
The notice further alleged that Wangchuk had “anti-national connections in China and other places, which have been or may be exploited for anti-national activities” and accused him of allegedly threatening the Council and District Administration with adverse consequences”
Sharing the document, Malviya questioned how Wangchuk, whose conduct was allegedly questioned in official communications during the Congress-led government era, had now become a prominent face of Opposition-backed protests.
“Before projecting Wangchuk as the moral face of every protest, it is worth examining the official record,” he said.
He added that public figures leading movements should be open to scrutiny.
“Before anyone is elevated as the moral face of a public movement, their own record deserves the same scrutiny they demand of others. That is the real question,” Malviya said.