Leh: In recent months, noted innovator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk found himself at the centre of a storm after certain media outlets labelled him “anti-national” and linked him to Pakistan and China.
The allegations surfaced in the backdrop of his visit to Islamabad in February this year, where he attended a United Nations–supported conference on environment and climate change.
Several media reports questioned Wangchuk’s participation in the event, suggesting that his presence raised doubts over his nationalist credentials. Some reports even alleged that his activism in Ladakh was backed by foreign powers.
Reacting to what he described as “baseless and damaging accusations,” Wangchuk clarified that the conference was an international platform on climate change and had no political backing.
He also highlighted how such misinformation not only harmed his reputation but also affected the ongoing environmental projects in Ladakh, including collaborations with the Indian Army.
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Wangchuk chose to take legal action, filing a defamation case against the channels and journalists responsible for spreading the claims.
“Such false narratives were deliberately created to defame the movement for Ladakh’s rights and my personal image. We cannot allow misinformation to go unchecked,” he said.
In a rare turn of events, journalist from news channel, who had aired one of the controversial reports, travelled to Ladakh to offer a public apology. Speaking at Wangchuk’s institute, the journalist admitted that the reports were carried in haste without proper verification and were based on misleading inputs.
“I sincerely apologise to Wangchuk and to our viewers. It was wrong to brand someone working for the nation and the environment as anti-national,” the journalist said.
Accepting the apology, Wangchuk reiterated that while mistakes in journalism can happen, deliberate misinformation damages not just individuals but also the nation’s democratic fabric.
He added that any compensation arising from the case would be directed towards environmental initiatives in Ladakh.
