Srinagar: Demanding full-fledged statehood for the Ladakh Union Territory, the politicians from the region have put forward a four-point demand before the centre.
"On Sunday, Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) held a five-hour-long meeting to chalk out the joint strategy. During the meeting, both the groups were on the same page and a four-point demand has been decided," Feroz Khan, Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) said.
He further said, "The demands include full-fledged statehood for Ladakh, complete constitutional safeguard, resident certificate, separate parliamentary seat for Leh and Kargil besides one Rajya Sabha seat."
"Kargil and Leh will now together fight for the demands and also a joint committee will be formed to hold deliberations with the Home Ministry in the next visit,” he added.
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Khan clarified that the joint committee will have at least four members representing both Kargil and Leh.
According to him, the meeting was attended by the Chairman of Apex Body, co-chairperson of KDA along with their members besides the CEC’s of both the districts and ruling party BJP’s Leh district president.
Both KDA and Apex Body Leh have separately, last month, met MOS Home Ministry over the demands and are now hoping to continue the talks with the ministry.
Meanwhile, KDA member and senior Ladakh politician Asgar Karbalai, said, "We demand a full-fledged state for the region and the Lok Sabha seat should be increased from one to two besides one Rajya Sabha seat for the region."
"We also demand Article 371 or 6th schedule, and of both one that deems fit to the centre must be given," he said.
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On meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "So far we have not raised any demand to meet the prime minister. We have been assured by the MHA that the talks on the demands will take place once a joint committee is formed."
“Kargil and Leh are now on the same page. We have put our demands in the public domain," he added.
