He questioned why alcohol is being promoted in Ladakh while Gujarat remains a dry state, pointing out that women abandoned household duties to protest in the cold. Addressing an official notice cautioning him over his statements, Wangchuk defended the demonstrators, noting past marches and press briefings.
He criticised the cancellation of scheduled talks in New Delhi regarding Ladakh's demands for statehood, Sixth Schedule protections, and a legislature, expressing concern over powerless hill councils and ecological destruction along the Indus River. Protesting women leaders warned that agitation would spread across villages until a policy rollback occurs and public health safeguards are guaranteed.