Thackeray brands Wangchuk arrest unjust, urges Asia Cup boycott

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday questioned the Centre over the arrest of activist Sonam Wangchuk, saying the one who developed solar tent technology for our Army is being branded as anti-national, while cricket matches are allowed to be played against Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference here, he also appealed to “patriots” to boycott the Asia Cup cricket final match in which India and Pakistan will face-off on Sunday.

The former Maharashtra chief minister also urged companies not to advertise during the India-Pakistan match.

Climate activist Wangchuk was arrested on Friday and slapped with the stringent National Security Act (NSA), two days after violent protests over statehood and constitutional protection left four persons dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Talking about his arrest, Thackeray said, “It is unfortunate. Sonam Wangchuk developed solar tent technology for the Indian Army in difficult terrain. The one who is working for our forces has been dubbed anti-national and arrested under the NSA and you are playing cricket with Pakistan which spreads terror in India. What kind of patriotism is this?”

Wangchuk, a leading voice for the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading a five-year-long agitation demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for the residents of Leh and Kargil, which form part of the Union Territory of Ladakh that was carved out from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

Opposition parties have been questioning the Centre for allowing the Indian cricket team to play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, saying it was wrong to engage in a sporting activity against the country that sponsors terror.

On September 14, traditional rivals India and Pakistan faced off in the first match between the two sides since India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in May to hit terror bases in Pakistan-controlled territories following the killing of 26 persons in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.