Congress Denies BJP Allegations: Misidentification in Ladakh Violence Sparks Political Controversy

The BJP shared this photograph during the controversy.

On Friday, Congress' media and publicity department chief Pawan Khera asserted that a photograph of an individual participating in violent protests in Ladakh was incorrectly circulated by the BJP and others, falsely identifying him as Congress councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag.

Tsepag faces charges related to violence and arson incidents that the Central government has attributed to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.

In his statement on X, Khera declared: "Several BJP leaders and certain anchors/social media influencers have been displaying an image and footage of someone while misrepresenting him as the elected Congress councillor - Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag."

He further stated: "We are initiating legal recourse and criminal proceedings against all those who have not only attempted to defame our party but have also tried to instigate social unrest to exacerbate existing tensions."

The Congress representative criticized the ruling party at the Centre for "engaging in their typical mudslinging and seeking opportunities to capitalize on Ladakh's outrage and settle political scores" rather than "sensitively engaging with the betrayed people of Ladakh."

Four individuals lost their lives and approximately 80 were injured, including 40 police personnel, during Wednesday's violent clashes between security forces and Ladakh movement supporters amid a district curfew.

The confrontation occurred as Wangchuk terminated his two-week hunger strike over various demands. The Leh Apex Body youth wing organized the protest following the hospitalization of two participants from the group of 15 strikers whose conditions deteriorated Tuesday evening.

BJP's national information and technology head Amit Malviya subsequently shared an image of a man he claimed was Tsepag, accusing him of "rioting in Ladakh." His X post stated: "This man rioting in Ladakh is Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, Congress Councillor for Upper Leh Ward. He can be clearly seen instigating the mob and participating in violence that targeted the BJP office and the Hill Council. Is this the kind of unrest Rahul Gandhi has been fantasising about?"

During the unrest, groups of youths engaged in arson and vandalism, attacking BJP headquarters and the Hill Council while setting vehicles ablaze. Officials reported that police and paramilitary forces deployed throughout the town used teargas to control the situation.

The Central government alleged that the mob violence resulted from "provocative statements" by activist Wangchuk, suggesting that certain "politically motivated" individuals were dissatisfied with progress in ongoing talks between government representatives and Ladakhi groups.