New Delhi: “If they considered me anti-national and jailed me for it, but are now releasing me, it must mean it was a mistake. Otherwise, why would they release someone they believe is anti-national back into society?”These were the words of Sonam Wangchuk when he addressed the press after his first press conference on Tuesday, March 3, following nearly six months in custody.When asked about the allegations against him by the government, he said that in court they were shown to “be meaningless or, at best, misunderstood, at worst, mischievous, but I want to believe it was some misunderstanding”. He went on to say that “linguistic misunderstandings” were one of the reasons for his detention.He also said he wants the judiciary to record a judgment in the case, apart from revoking the order, which would help future executives understand how to use and especially how not to use laws such as the National Security Act.Wangchuk was confident of his victory in the court, but he was looking for a “win-win”– a victory with not just his release but also the victory to advance the cause of Ladakh and the Himalayas.He sees the revocation of his detention as an extended hand by the government, which could lead to meaningful and constructive dialogue about their demands for Ladakh.Wangchuk recounted the “horrors of his arrest” and all the wrongs that happened to him and his wife, “right from how abruptly I was bundled up and thrown into jail, without any opportunity to even call my family or my lawyers for days, more than a week, or of her (his wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo) who could not even meet journalists to voice her anguish with heavy security positioning around the campus and how she slipped out into Delhi to knock on the doors of the courts. And how for two or three weeks, there was a kind of rat and mouse chase on the streets of Delhi with her cars being followed by people on cars and motorcycles, it was all a filmy scene, not very film at the time.”Talking about the upcoming talks with the government, Wangchuk emphasised the need for both parties to be accommodating and flexible. “Overall, the two main issues are safeguards under the Sixth Schedule or statehood or restoration of democracy, so if not on both, we would hope on one… That’s how we want to be flexible in the interest of nation building.” He added, “Of course, it should not be a lose-lose for one side.”He is hopeful that now, “after six years of two and fro and umpteen number of talks, the government means something more than what they have previously had”. He wants to hope and believe.Gitanjali J. Angmo added that “Whatever has happened, let’s not dwell on that, let’s go to the future, a new dawn, a new beginning, and a new start.”Wangchuk said he will be travelling back to Ladakh soon and will consult with other Ladakhi leaders of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance.The Ministry of Home Affairs’ order to revoke the detention came three days before the scheduled Supreme Court of India hearing on March 17, which was expected to be the last day of the hearing, and two days before the protest call by the Leh Apex Body on March 16.