‘Witch-hunt is underway’: Sonam Wangchuk on notice to HIAL school

• Sonam Wangchuk accuses the Ladakh administration of a “witch-hunt”, alleging its notice against HIAL's Desert Flower School aims to silence dissent

• He questions the administration's liquor policy, land regulations and environmental projects, claiming critics are being targeted

• HIAL CEO Gitanjali Angmo disputes the notice's legal grounds, saying the institute has submitted a formal response and is awaiting the administration's decision

Educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday accused the Ladakh administration of pursuing a “witch-hunt” against institutions and individuals questioning its policies, alleging that the recent action against the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), and its Desert Flower School was aimed at silencing dissent in the Union Territory.

Reacting to an administrative notice directing HIAL to stop activities related to the functioning of its school at Phyang, Wangchuk questioned the administration's priorities, alleging that restrictions were being imposed on educational institutions while rules governing liquor establishments were being relaxed.

“Stop education, prevent children from becoming educated, keep schools closed, but make alcohol more accessible and push the entire region towards alcoholism. This is how these policies appear to us,” Wangchuk told reporters in Leh. He was accompanied by his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, co-founder and CEO of HIAL.

Wangchuk alleged that the notice was intended to create panic among parents and compel them to withdraw their children from the school rather than address any genuine legal or technical concerns.

The Ladakh administration recently directed HIAL to refrain from undertaking further activities related to Desert Flower School until a final decision is delivered by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The direction was issued through a 1 November notice by the Office of the Tehsildar, Leh, addressed to Angmo.

The dispute follows the administration's decision to cancel the land allotment to HIAL on 21 August 2025. The institute subsequently approached the high court through a writ petition, which is currently pending adjudication.

Explaining why he believes HIAL has become a target, Wangchuk cited the broader demand for democratic rights and constitutional safeguards in Ladakh, along with growing criticism of administrative decisions under lieutenant governor V.K. Saxena.

“We believe that a witch-hunt is underway. One reason is the broader movement for democracy, democratic rights and constitutional safeguards in Ladakh. The second reason, particularly in recent months, is that ever since present lieutenant governor V.K. Saxena took office, a number of arbitrary policies and decisions have been introduced that have caused considerable distress among the people of Ladakh,” he said.

Wangchuk alleged that individuals who had questioned these policies were increasingly facing administrative action.

He also criticised the administration's liquor and bar policy, claiming that the number of no-objection certificates (NOCs) required for liquor-related establishments had been reduced from 16 to six, despite protests by women in the region.

In contrast, he alleged that HIAL was being asked to obtain an NOC certifying that members of its school Managing Committee had no political affiliations, even though such a requirement was not prescribed under the applicable education policy.

“All our board members are independent and have no political affiliations. Yet, this requirement does not even exist in their own policies,” he said.

Wangchuk further claimed that the deputy commissioner and collector had acknowledged that the requirement was not part of the existing rules, but the issue continued to delay the school's functioning.

He linked the action against HIAL to his criticism of several government policies, including those concerning liquor, tourism, land management and environmental protection.

Wangchuk also questioned the expenditure of public money on rock dams constructed along the Indus river, alleging that the structures had failed and caused environmental damage.

He said he and his associates had consistently raised concerns about the administration's approach to tourism, land regulations and other development-related projects.

“We have spoken about the liquor policy, the rock dams, the tourism policy and the policies relating to land and other regulatory matters. We have consistently raised concerns about these issues. We believe that, as a consequence of speaking out, we have become targets,” he said.

Expressing concern over the notice issued to Desert Flower School, Wangchuk said it was unfortunate that an institution with international recognition was facing the possibility of being shut down.

He pointed out that HIAL's projects had been featured in TIME magazine and showcased at an international museum in London. He also referred to recognition from the Parliamentary Committee on Education and encouragement from a former University Grants Commission chairman to promote the institute's educational model.

Wangchuk reiterated his belief that the administration's action was intended to create uncertainty among parents rather than resolve a substantive legal issue.

“My personal assessment is that this action was not even intended to succeed on legal or technical grounds. The authorities themselves know that, legally and technically, this action is unlikely to stand,” he said.

Angmo, meanwhile, challenged the two principal grounds cited in the administrative notice — the alleged absence of necessary approvals and the pending land dispute involving HIAL.

On the land issue, she said the institute had repeatedly approached the authorities for execution of the lease deed, but the process remained incomplete because the administration had not finalised its lease policy.

She also maintained that the high court had restrained the administration from creating third-party rights over the disputed land, but had not directed HIAL to suspend its activities.

Addressing the issue of school approvals, Angmo alleged that the institute had been caught between the Directorate of School Education and the Deputy Commissioner's office over the requirement for a certificate declaring the school's Managing Committee non-political.

She maintained that the additional certification was not prescribed under the relevant State Regulation Order (SRO).

According to Angmo, HIAL had written approximately six letters to the concerned authorities seeking clarification on the matter. The institute also sent a reminder on 30 October, informing officials that classes were scheduled to begin on 2 November.

She said HIAL was willing to cooperate with official inspections and complete all prescribed approval procedures, but alleged that administrative confusion and a lack of coordination between departments had delayed the process.

Angmo also challenged government officials and non-governmental organisations to establish a residential school comparable to Desert Flower, saying HIAL had developed the institution within two years.

She said the institute was willing to give others five years to demonstrate that they could establish a similar institution capable of becoming one of India's leading schools.

Wangchuk and Angmo confirmed that HIAL had submitted a formal response to the 1 November notice to the concerned authorities and was awaiting their decision.

With PTI inputs