GUWAHATI: A day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured former MP and Leh Apex Body (LAB) chairman Thupstan Chhewang of 6th Schedule-like status for Ladakh, LAB on Friday reiterated its demand for granting of statehood with 6th Schedule status.
LAB member Chering Dorje said they won’t accept anything less than granting of statehood with 6th Schedule status for the union territory.
LAB comprises political, religious and social groups of Ladakh, except the BJP . “We are demanding 6th Schedule status and not 6th Schedule-like status to protect our land and job rights,” Dorje said, adding that there was no breakthrough in the meeting between Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chhewang in New Delhi.
“When Sikkim got statehood, its population was 2.50 lakh, while ours is over 3 lakh,” Kargil Democratic Alliance co chairman Asgar Karbalai said. “Ladakh has 80,000 sq km area while Sikkim has about 7000 sq km area.”