Srinagar: Ladakh bodies who are spearheading the struggle for demands of the sixth schedule and assembly for the union territory today warned of a "long agitation" for four main demands.
Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) today held a joint meeting in Leh and pitched their four main demands. "LAB and KDA discussed the four main demands today in Leh in a joint meeting and decided to frame a strategy for a long agitation in the UT if the demands are not met," LAB head Chering Dorjey told media persons in a press briefing after the meeting.
He said that the LAB and KDA have held several meetings with the committee formed by the Government of India but those meetings were not followed up with any outcome.
Dorjey, who was formerly with BJP and later left the party, said that the present government had in the last meeting agreed to set up a Public Service Commission for Ladakh within three months. "But that promise also proved hollow," he said.
Nasir Munshi, who is Congress president for the Kargil unit, and part of the KDA, said that the two bodies will meet every month until the demands are not met.
"Our main four demands are still being unaddressed. What we are hearing is that the government of India will strengthen the Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil. These are not our main demands. We are peace-loving people, and will protest for our demands peacefully through a sustained agitation," Munshi said.
With a population of more than three lakh, Ladakh was carved out as a separate union territory when Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two UTs on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 and 35 A were abrogated.
The people of Ladakh celebrated the status of UT but soon afterwards in 2020, they pitched for six schedule status as they sensed a threat to land and jobs. They also began demanding statehood, assembly, the creation of one more parliament seat and a public service commission for recruitment in government jobs.
The political parties (except BJP) and socio-religious bodies in Leh and Kargil formed the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to fight jointly for these demands. The previous Modi-led government held several rounds of talks with these bodies to negotiate for a common settlement, but the Ladakh people are persisting with their demands.
Except BJP, the political parties and socio-religious bodies in Ladakh have been demanding tribal status under the sixth schedule, statehood, assembly and one more MP seat and a separate public service commission (PSC) for recruitment.
The LBA and KDA held several protests and shutdowns since 2020, while the environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk also held a hunger strike in March this year. Wangchuk has announced to launch on August 15.
The LAB and KDA have held meetings with the Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in the previous Modi-led government but the talks ended in a deadlock when the GoI refused to grant statehood, sixth schedule, assembly and one more parliament seat.
