The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the recent violence in Ladakh, which left four dead and over 80 injured, was orchestrated by the Congress. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra named Congress councillor Stanzin Tsepang as the “key instigator,” claiming he was caught on camera leading mobs and even wielding a weapon while marching toward the BJP office. The party further linked the unrest to a broader Congress strategy, accusing Rahul Gandhi of encouraging movements similar to political uprisings in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Tensions escalated after protests for Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion turned violent, with demonstrators pelting stones, torching vehicles, and setting the BJP’s Leh office on fire. Police responded with live fire, batons, and tear gas, leading to multiple casualties.

Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta described the clashes as a conspiracy and confirmed an FIR had been filed against the Congress councillor. Meanwhile, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared photos allegedly showing Tsepang instigating the mob.

Responding to the allegations, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk rejected the BJP’s claims, saying the Congress does not hold such sway in the region. He explained that anger among Gen Z youth—who had largely stayed away from protests earlier—boiled over after injuries to villagers and years of frustration with ignored demands. Wangchuk, who recently ended a 15-day hunger strike, expressed sorrow over the violence but stressed that the youth’s disillusionment, not political plotting, triggered the unrest.

The protests follow years of calls for Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule since the abrogation of Article 370.