Uddhav Thackeray Slams Government Over Wangchuk’s Arrest Amid India-Pak Cricket Clashes
Patriots urged to boycott Asia Cup final as Shiv Sena leader highlights ‘hypocritical’ patriotism in Ladakh crackdown
NewsArc Bureau
Mumbai, September 28, 2025 – In a fiery critique of the central government’s priorities, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday decried the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), juxtaposing it against the ongoing cricket engagements between India and Pakistan.
Speaking at a media briefing here, the former Maharashtra chief minister lambasted authorities for labeling Wangchuk—an innovator who pioneered solar-powered shelters for the Indian military in harsh border conditions—as a threat to national security, even as bilateral cricket ties with Islamabad persist despite cross-border tensions.
“This is a travesty,” Thackeray remarked, pointing to Wangchuk’s contributions to the armed forces. “A man who equips our soldiers against extreme weather is now chained under NSA, branded a foe of the nation. Yet, we roll out the red carpet for matches with a neighbor fueling unrest on our soil. Whose patriotism is this?”
Wangchuk, a key advocate for Ladakh’s Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, was taken into custody on Friday amid escalating demands for full statehood and enhanced protections for the region’s residents—a push that has simmered since Jammu and Kashmir’s reorganization in 2019. The protests boiled over on September 24 in Leh, resulting in four fatalities and dozens of injuries after clashes involving security personnel and demonstrators.
In an emotional response aired earlier, Wangchuk’s spouse, Gitanjali Angmo, accused central forces of provoking the unrest. She described her husband’s non-violent, principle-driven campaign as having been derailed by aggressive policing, refuting claims of foreign ties or financial impropriety leveled against him. Authorities, however, maintained that responses were defensive, triggered by attacks on public property, including an incident at a local Bharatiya Janata Party office.
Thackeray amplified opposition voices questioning the uneven application of “national loyalty” labels, especially with the Asia Cup cricket final pitting India against Pakistan set for Sunday in Dubai. The tournament has already seen the arch-rivals clash twice since May’s Operation Sindoor—a precision strike on militant hideouts in Pakistan-administered areas, retaliation for a deadly assault in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. India enters the decider as frontrunners after prevailing in the prior encounters.
To underscore his point, Thackeray issued a direct call to action: “True patriots should turn off their TVs tomorrow evening. And let no corporation fund ads during this spectacle—it’s time to draw a line.”
The remarks come as Ladakh’s autonomy battle intensifies, with Wangchuk now held in a Rajasthan facility, far from the Himalayan foothills he champions. Political analysts see Thackeray’s intervention as a bid to rally anti-establishment sentiment, blending regional grievances with broader critiques of governance.
As the cricket fervor builds overseas, the shadow of domestic discord looms large, prompting renewed debates on security, solidarity, and the symbols we choose to elevate.
