Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was released from the central jail in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur on Saturday, six months after he was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting violence in Ladakh.. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk walks free after home ministry’s release decision (PTI). An official said Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, received him as he walked free hours after the Union home ministry revoked his detention. After the paperwork, Wangchuk left with Angmo in a private vehicle around 1pm.. Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, received him as he walked free. (Sourced). Wangchuk, 59, was accused of misleading people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protests. The Union home ministry revoked his detention with “immediate effect,” citing the need to facilitate “constructive and meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders.”. The release came days before the Supreme Court is set to hear on March 17 a habeas corpus petition of Angmo over the activist’s incarceration under the 1980 law, which allows detention for up to 12 months without trial.. Wangchuk was detained on September 26, two days after the protests over demands for statehood for Ladakh turned violent, leaving four people dead and 45 injured. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also launched a preliminary inquiry against an institute that Wangchuk founded.. On February 25, activists staged a demonstration in Jodhpur seeking Wangchuk’s release, prompting police to put up barricades on the road leading to the Central Jail.. Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot welcomed Wangchuk’s release but said the episode raised serious questions about the functioning of the Narendra Modi-led government. In a post on X, Gehlot said it was ironic that Wangchuk, who once supported Modi’s policies, was sent to Jodhpur jail under the stringent NSA when he raised his voice for Ladakh’s rights and environmental protection.. Gehlot questioned how a person described as a threat to national security a few months ago could suddenly be released now. He wondered whether this meant there was no evidence against him.. Gehlot asked who would account for the 170 days Wangchuk spent in detention and why he was arrested in the first place. He questioned whether the political interests of the ruling party determined the definition of national security.. Gehlot said such “convenient use of laws with an authoritarian mindset” was condemnable and a serious blow to the credibility of democratic institutions. He added that the people were watching these double standards.