Leh (Ladakh): Braving the biting cold conditions, thousands of Ladakhi people on Saturday took out a protest march in Leh district to press for their long pending demands of statehood, sixth schedule and other guarantees including on jobs to the locals after separation from erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state following the abrogation of Article 370 in August of 2019.
Sources said that thousands of Ladakhis took out the protest march as part of the already announced 'Leh Chalo' programme on the call of the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, two umbrella socio-political bodies in the respective districts, in Leh to press for their demands. The twin bodies have long been demanding statehood and other safeguards for the Ladakh residents under the Sixth schedule including jobs for locals and a separate Public Service Commission for Ladakh.
Sajjad Kargili, a prominent political activist took to X on Saturday over the ongoing Leh Chalo protest. Sajjad said that thousands of people marched through the streets of Leh in protest to press for their demands. “Happening Now in Ladakh. Despite harsh cold people in Leh gathered and marching with the demand for Statehood, Constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, and PSC and employment opportunities for Ladakh,” he captioned the video showing the protest march.
He said in Kargil, the second inhabitant coldest place in the world, people observed a complete shutdown in solidarity with the demand for Statehood, Sixth Schedule, and PSC and employment opportunities for Ladakh. The protest comes after the talks between the twin bodies and the Centre failed to strike a deal over the demands. The latest was a meeting with the committee headed by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Anand Rai in Delhi on December 4.
The protest by the Ladakhi people amidst the biting cold conditions is seen as a statement by the locals over their commitment on the demands.
