They portray taking high moral ground on public issues. Strongly believe that protests were only solutions but fail when it comes to practise. The indivdual in question is Sonam Wangchuk, who was in the thick of the news recently due to the CJP protest.
In a major embarrassment to Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh Labour Court has directed Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning to reinstate “sacked New Mother” Amina Khatoon and pay Rs 3 lakh as compensation.
Victim Amina Khatoon was working with Sonam Wangchuk’s Sheshyon Innovations Pvt Ltd., an enterprising arm of Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) founded by Wangchuk. She was unlawfully removed from her job after the birth of her child in 2024.
She approached court for justice. During the final hearing on 07 November 2026, in the very presence of applicant Amina Khatoon and Ms Gitanjali Angmo, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife and the CEO of HIAL, the two parties “expressed willingness to explore the possibility of resolving the matter through mutual discussions. Consequently, the court granted them opportunity till 26th November 2026, for “arriving at amicable settlement.
The court also specifically directed for reinstating Amina Khatoon to her former position or an equivalent position, considering that her services were terminated without prior notice and without following the applicable procedure. It also directed for providing maternity benefits to Amina Khatoon equivalent to 26 weeks amounting to Rs 3.03 lakh, along with Rs 3500 towards maternity medical bonus.
The court further directed that in the event of respondent (Gitanjali Angmo and HIAL) fails to comply with the aforesaid proposed settlement on or before 26th November 2026, the proposed settlement shall stand “unsuccessful” and the matter will proceed in accordance with the law.
Significantly, the labour court’s observation that Amina Khatoon’s services were terminated without prior notice and without following the applicable procedure, also exposes the much-hyped “progressive and humanitarian ethos” of Sonam Wangchuk and his institution HIAL.
Here it is noteworthy that as seen recently, even the people of Ladakh have started raising their voice against Sonam Wangchuk.The Phyang Welfare Society, Ladakh, an organisation of Ladhakis had welcomed cancellation of allotment orders of land to HIAL. The society have also raised the issue of Wangchuk’s HIAL diverting centuries old irrigation water stream to barren land for a construction of much talked about Wangchuk’s ice stupa.
