Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Saturday alleged a targeted smear campaign against him by the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor’s office. He appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to take note of the alleged actions by the “L-G and his team” against him through social media.In a video posted on X, terming it a “sting operation” by his lawyers, Wangchuk said, “For raising my voice for the youth of the nation and the well being of border areas like Ladakh and Arunachal, I’m being continuously witch-hunted and defamed, and our schools being harassed in every possible way by the L-G Administration in Ladakh.”Wangchuk and his group of institutions under the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, (HIAL) have been involved in an ongoing legal dispute with the Union Territory administration over the transfer of a lease deed.Also Read | Sonam Wangchuk’s institute gets notice from Ladakh admin for continuing classes at schoolThe Ladakh administration had cancelled the lease, citing failure to execute the deed and pay the required premium within the stipulated period, as well as alleged non-compliance with the land’s intended use.The administration has also directed HIAL to refrain from undertaking further activities related to the functioning of its Desert Flower School.Wangchuk and his wife Gitanjali J Angmo, HIAL’s co-founder and CEO, have attributed the delay in finalising the land deal to bureaucratic hurdles. They have alleged that the cancellation was part of a politically motivated witch-hunt linked to the campaign for Sixth Schedule safeguards and statehood for Ladakh.Separately, the labour court in Leh on Saturday reserved its order in a case involving allegations of non-payment of statutory maternity benefits and unfair treatment of a former HIAL employee.‘Tried very much to avoid this…’Story continues below this adWangchuk said that through their “probe”, “Much more has come to us from the Raj Niwas/Lok Niwas but we’re releasing just some excerpts for now. I tried very much to avoid this, thinking it may damage the nation’s dignity and morale, and hence I first shared the material with the Chief of IB for intervention, but unfortunately, after a few exchanges, he too stopped responding.”He said, “So, with a heavy heart I am sharing this with the nation as we must stop the L-G from playing like an infant in the ecologically & strategically sensitive border regions of India.”Angmo, too, accused the office of L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena of using taxpayers’ money to fund private companies to defame Wangchuk and “eulogise” himself.Also Read | ‘What kind of Ram Rajya are we talking about?’ Sonam Wangchuk slams Centre after Ladakh talks fail“UT Ladakh administration and @lg_ladakh display a new low. Launch 2 social media profiles by generously funding private companies from our taxpayers money: One Ladakh Lens to defame @Wangchuk66 and the second Ladakh Vision to eulogise himself.”Story continues below this adWangchuk urged President Murmu to ensure equal rights, democratic freedoms and justice for residents of border regions, including Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.Also Read | ‘Wangchuk’s campaign of falsehood’: Ladakh admin hits back on activist’s booze shop claimsThere was no immediate reaction from the L-G’s office to the allegations.Over the past month, the administration has sent notice to HIAL to stop classes at Desert Flower School, citing an ongoing case in the High Court of J&K and Ladakh. Wangchuk and Angmo defied the UT’s “advise”, stating that the school will continue to function.(With PTI inputs)