About 400 students, he said, have studied at HIAL. “The convocations have been held at HIAL. Students from different parts of the country have visited the place and are still here,” he said.On the charge that the lease amount was not paid, Wangchuk said, “Since 2018, they have four times reminded the administration that the lease amount of the land has not been taken. However, every time officials apologised, saying that lease policy is yet to be framed and that is why we are not taking the lease amount.”He said the DC’s claims that they have not paid the lease and that it is not being run for the purpose make no sense.“The decision to cancel the land allotment to HIAL has been taken when people of Ladakh are demanding their rights, safeguards and democracy. It seems to be a witch-hunting process,” asserted Wangchuk, who has joined the hands of LAB and KDA in demanding 6th Schedule, statehood with Assembly, a separate Public Service Commission and two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh UT.Wangchuk, who has been part of the LAB and KDA delegations that have held discussions with Union MoS Home-led Home Ministry officials on 6th Schedule and statehood to Ladakh UT, said, “HIAL is not Sonam Wangchuk’s institution or any individual’s institution but it is a pride for the people of Ladakh and the whole country. The institution has made a lot of development in the last 4-5 years. There are at least 10-20 buildings and courses are taking place.”Leh Apex Body (LAB) co-chairman Chering Dorjey said it seems the order has been issued to silence Wangchuk’s voice, who as a member of the Apex Body has been actively advocating for Ladakh’s rights.He said the entire Apex Body leadership stands firmly with Wangchuk or any other member facing victimisation.Ladakh MP Hanifa Jan said he was deeply concerned by the revocation of land allotted to HIAL, an institute envisioned by Sonam Wangchuk, an innovator and national asset.“Ladakh needs support for education and climate solutions, not hurdles. I strongly condemn and urge UT Ladakh to review the order transparently and restore the allotment. We stand with knowledge, youth and sustainable development,” the MP posted on X.“Strongly condemn the revocation of land allotment for Sonam Wangchuk’s HIAL — a deplorable act of political vendetta aimed at silencing Ladakh’s dissenting voices. Kargil Democratic Alliance stands in solidarity with Wangchuk and Leh Apex Body,” Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) leader Sajjad Kargili said.PDP leader and J&K MLA Waheed Para said, “HIAL was envisioned as the first alternative education university, a model of learning by doing, innovation and applied education.”“It was about to get university status under the Mehbooba Mufti government in 2018, and later its land was lawfully approved. To cancel the allotment of such an institution — in Ladakh, where land has no scarcity — is not just a bureaucratic decision, it is an assault on education, innovation and the dreams of an entire generation,” Para posted on X.
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