'Read The Full Thing...': Supreme Court Tells Centre On Sonam Wangchuk's Speeches

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard a petition filed by Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of Ladakh-based activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The exchanges in court focused on references to Mahatma Gandhi and the interpretation of Wangchuk’s speeches.

While hearing submissions by the Central government and the Leh administration defending Wangchuk's preventive detention, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale examined the speeches relied upon by the detaining authorities and raised questions on the interpretation being placed on them, particularly where Wangchuk appears to be expressing concern over youth losing faith in peaceful "Gandhian" methods of protest and the fear of a violent outbreak in the demand for Statehood.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court that Wangchuk’s health was stable. He said that the activist was “fit, hale and hearty” and that there was no cause for concern regarding his condition in custody.

Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, then addressed the court on the grounds for detention. He argued that certain remarks attributed to Wangchuk could be interpreted as suggesting the possibility of violent agitation in India, similar to the situation in Nepal.

The Court questioned this reading and said that Wangchuk appeared to be expressing concern and surprise over the situation. "Where does he say that? He is saying they (the youth) have taken it. He himself is surprised," the apex Court asked.

During the hearing, the Bench also referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s last fasting speech while examining submissions relating to Wangchuk’s statements and methods of protest. The judges said that any speech must be read in its entirety rather than in fragments.

"He (Wangchuk) is saying it's worrying. He's expressing that this is not something which would be welcome. If someone is taking a departure from that way (non-violent Gandhian method) - departure from that is worrying," the Court said.

When excerpts were read out in court, the Bench asked the government to place the full context on record. “Read the full thing. You can’t read just one sentence,” the Bench said.

The ASG, however, contended that one cannot isolate a particular sentence to project Wangchuk’s conduct as Gandhian. He alleged that the activist had organised an anshan that disrupted public order under the guise of environmental concerns.

Later in the proceedings, Solicitor General Mehta objected to the reference to Gandhi amid the arguments. “Let us not glorify that which is completely anti-India. Let us not compare him with the Father of the Nation,” he said, adding, “Let it not become tomorrow’s headlines that this court compared Sonam Wangchuk to Mahatma Gandhi.” To this, the Bench said that Gandhi’s speech had been cited only in reference to his remarks about dying for the nation, and not as a direct comparison.

The Solicitor General opposed any move to release Wangchuk on medical grounds, describing such a plea as “a social media facade.” To that, the Court replied, “We are not going into what may happen elsewhere. Why are you making an ant out of a molehill? Why are you doing it?”

"If you say don't ask any questions, we won't ask any questions", it added.

This comes after an earlier hearing in which the Supreme Court had urged the Centre to reconsider the detention over Wangchuk’s health. The court is expected to continue hearing the challenge to Wangchuk’s detention tomorrow.

(With ANI inputs)

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