Lectures wrongly translated to suit anti-national narrative: Wangchuk’s wife

NEW DELHI, Oct 8: Speeches and lectures delivered by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk have been quoted out of context and wrongly translated from Ladakhi to suit the “anti-national narrative” in his detention order, his wife Gitanjali J Angmo said on Wednesday.
She also asserted that the charges against Wangchuk are “frivolous” and will be challenged in court.
Accompanied by lawyer Ritam Khare, Angmo met Wangchuk on Tuesday and received a copy of the detention order.
She said Wangchuk appeared weak, but the jail authorities have assured her that they would take care of him.
“He appeared weak…. The way they took him was inhumane. He was detained after 15 days of fasting,” she said.“The jail authorities have said they are taking good care of him and it appeared that they are,” she said.
Asked about the detention order, Angmo said, “The detention order appears to be very frivolous and weak, and we will challenge it in court.” The document lists the allegations against Wangchuk and the reasons for the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA) against him.The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier. It can be invoked by the local administration and has to be ratified by a board headed by a former high court judge. Because it is preventive detention and not arrest, there is no legal obligation to present the detainee before a court of law.
Angmo said Wangchuk has been quoted out of context and some of his speeches in Ladakhi have been wrongly translated.
“His ideas and words have been taken out of context to build a narrative, which is false. He has mostly referred to (Mahatma) Gandhi, referred to the art of winning without fighting,” she said. (PTI)