Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday expressed his frustration on being denied permission to sit on a fast demanding Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital, and sought an alternative.

Sharing a copy of the letter sent by Delhi Police rejecting his request for sitting on a fast at the Jantar Mantar, Wangchuk, in a post on X, said, “Another rejection, another frustration. Finally this morning we got this rejection letter for the officially designated place for protests.”

“If Jantar Mantar is not allowed, please tell us which place is allowed. We want to abide by all laws and still express our grievance in a peaceful way. Why is it so difficult to follow the path of Gandhi in his own country? There must be a way.”

In the letter, Delhi Police said the request was received at a “very short notice”, and no specific time frame was mentioned about the gathering.

As per guidelines, applications for holding any demonstration at the Jantar Mantar must be sent at least 10 days prior to the planned event to be held strictly between 10 am and 5 pm, police said.

Jigmat Paljor, coordinator of the Leh Apex Body representing the protesters, told PTI that they are looking for alternative venues for which discussions are going on with the police and the government.

In a video message shared on X on Saturday night, Wangchuk claimed when they broke their fast at Rajghat, they were assured of an appointment with the top leadership within two days, but they were forced to announce the indefinite fast after being denied the same.

The protesters were also told that Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita which prohibits unauthorised gatherings is permanently enforced in New Delhi, the climate activist added.

Taking a cue from poet Mirza Ghalib, Wanghchuk said, “Anshan karne de Jantar Mantar pe baith kar, ya wo jagah bata jaha dafa na ho (let us sit on fast at Jantar Mantar, or tell us a place where there is no section imposed).”

“There should be a discussion as to why there is no such place in a democracy where people can sit peacefully and share their pain,” Wangchuk said in the message.

The climate activist led the ‘Delhi Chalo Padayatra’, which began from Leh a month ago.

The march was organised by Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been spearheading an agitation for the last four years seeking statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

On Saturday, majority of the protesters returned to Ladakh while the remaining stayed back to join Wangchuk for the fast.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused BJP of stocking communal tensions in Goa, adding its attempts will not go unchallenged and the people of the state and the whole of India see through this divisive agenda and are standing united.

“Unfortunately, under BJP rule, this harmony is under attack. The BJP is deliberately stoking communal tensions, with a former RSS leader provoking Christians and Sangh organisations calling for an economic boycott of Muslims” he said.

“Goa’s appeal lies in its natural beauty and the warmth and hospitality of its diverse and harmonious people,” the Congress leader said in a post on X.

He said across India, similar actions by the Sangh Parivar continue with impunity, backed by support from the highest levels.

“In Goa, the BJP’s strategy is clear: divide the people while exploiting ecologically sensitive areas by illegally converting green land and bypassing environmental regulations—an assault on Goa’s natural and social heritage,” the Rae Bareli MP said.

The former Congress chief said, “BJP’s attempts will not go unchallenged. The people of Goa and the whole of India see through this divisive agenda and are standing united.”

Earlier, the former Goa unit chief of RSS, Subhash Velingkar, advocated for a DNA test of the relics of Saint Francis Xavier, who is revered as the patron saint of Goa. This led to protests across the state. The Goa police have reported that Velingkar is currently “absconding,” and efforts are underway to locate him.

Following numerous complaints against Velingkar in various parts of Goa for allegedly offending religious sentiments and disrupting communal harmony, an FIR was filed against him on Friday night at North Goa’s Bicholim police station under section 299 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertains to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. This action was taken based on a complaint by AAP MLA Cruz Silva.

“The accused with malicious intentions gave maligning speech against St Francis Xavier outraging the religious feelings and insulting religious beliefs of complainant, entire class of his religion and others,” as per the FIR.

Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that the BJP’s double engine governments are going to end from Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the day after the exit polls predictions. He added that the same will be repeated in the upcoming elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

“The double-engine governments are going from J&K and Haryana. The same will happen in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. People have understood that double-engine government means inflation, unemployment, and corruption,” the former Delhi Chief Minister said while addressing the ‘Janata Ki Adalat’ rally here.

In the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, BJP will ask for a double-engine government, Kejriwal said, “You should ask about Haryana, what have they done that people are not allowing their leaders inside their villages.”

“In UP, there has been a double-engine government for the last 7 years, their seats halved in Lok Sabha elections. There is also a double-engine government in Manipur, it is burning. If they will ask for it here, you should deny it,” said AAP national convener.

The AAP leader further said that people have been saying that it’s been 10 years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power and he did not do anything. He added, “When he will retire, people would think he did nothing. If he does something in the last year, people would say that he did something.”

“There is an election in Delhi in February, I ask him to make electricity free in 22 states, I promise I will campaign for him in Delhi elections,” he said.

Meanwhile, a boy who came to listen to him attempted to leap over the fence to meet Kejriwal while he was addressing the rally at Chhatrasal Stadium. AAP National Convenor said, “Don’t worry, I will meet you. Whoever wants to meet me, I make sure to meet everyone.”

Continuing his attack on the BJP, Kejriwal said: “The law and order has deteriorated. Bullets are being fired daily, there is a lot of crime. In 90’s, we would hear that there was an underworld rule in Mumbai, the same has happened in Delhi. Delhi police is with them, what was BJP doing? They are only busy in stopping the work of Delhi government. Ladies are hassled in buses of Delhi, there would be pickpockets, we brought bus marshals. But they stopped it. They are not able to do work and if the others are working, then you should not stop it.”