Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk (L) and Supreme Court.
Credit: PTI photo and iStock photo
New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday stoutly defended before the Supreme Court its decision to detain Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, and claimed that it has followed all the procedures in its exercise under National Security Act.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that keeping in view the nature of the power under NSA, a certain leeway is given to the statutory authority.
Opposing the plea of Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Wangchuk, challenging his preventive detention, Mehta alleged that in his speech, the activist had claimed that Ladakhis do not have the right to choose their representatives.
"It is unacceptable that Ladakhis cannot choose their own representatives. China, Tibet etc have autonomous rights'," Wangchuk had said, Mehta claimed.
He submitted that there was no flaws in his detention order.
"The claim of his wife of illegality done in the process is wrong," he said.
Mehta claimed that his statements or speeches also amounted to a threat to the public order. "The security of India, threat to public order, and disruption of supplies, all are seen in the speeches," Mehta said.
He said the detention was a preventive action so that the activist doesn’t keep repeating the things.
"Every state has region specific sensitivities," he added.
The matter related to the plea moved by Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo against his preventive detention.