Leh (Ladakh): The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’ volunteers arrived in Leh on Saturday amid a grand welcome by several religious organisations and locals at KBR Airport.
Rigzin Dorjey, Vice President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, expressed satisfaction at the safe return of yatris but reiterated that the struggle would continue till the central government fulfilled their demands.
"Our leaders have submitted a memorandum to the Home Ministry. We hope that within the next seven to eight days, discussions will resume at the MHA level,” he said. “If there is no response from the MHA, we will hold further discussions once our leaders return to Leh and decide the future course of action,” Dorjey said.
He said that of the 150 volunteers, 20 continue to be in Delhi alongside the leaders of the Ladakh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), and the duration.
To recall, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was leading the 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', which began from Leh a month ago. The 'padyatra' was organised by the Leh Apex Body, which, along with the KDA, has been spearheading an agitation for the last four years for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Geleck Phuntsog, the Apex Body organising committee member, said, “I think the pad yatra was more successful than what we expected, and we got good results. It was shown how the voice of Ladakh has reached the authorities.”
He said that authorities had deployed nearly 2,000 force personnel for 150 yatris to suppress us as there was a lot of pressure on the central government.
“From that, we came to know about the gravity of our demand. My message to the people of Ladakh is that we should never give up, and I see that our demands will be fulfilled very soon. We should not be discouraged by the arrests, I see it as a blessing in disguise and got a lot of attention from the media,” he said.
Phuntsog said they demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, or any senior minister should listen to them and discuss their issues.
"Initially, they told us that by October 4, they would respond. However, unfortunately, they did not, and we had to continue our fast in Delhi. All the leaders of the apex body and KDA, along with the volunteers, are continuing their fast.”
Another volunteer, Skarma Tokdan, who returned today to Ladakh, said, "The journey was full of varied experiences. I faced the harsh sun, rain, cold, and more, yet the older padyatra volunteers never gave up. Their passion and energy inspired me, and I never felt tired despite the blisters on my feet and the headaches. It was a joyful journey overall."
He added, "I believe our struggle is far from over, as real change will take time. Ladakh is a small community, and we must remain united. Only through unity can we achieve development and accomplish our goals."
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