SRINAGAR: The Ladakh groups spearheading the agitation for grant of statehood and 6th Schedule status to the cold desert have indicated their willingness to consider dropping the statehood demand if the MHA’s proposed model of a UT-level elected body meets the aspirations of the people.
In the September 9 meet in Delhi, an agreement has been reached between MHA and Ladakh leadership towards a “sui generis” model–a UT-level elected body under Article 371-- which does not exist anywhere in the country and will be crafted for Ladakh, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra has said.
According to the MHA, the proposed UT-level body will be elected and will have legislative powers with respect to land, culture and language, forest, environment, natural resources, and any other subject matter reserved for the UT under Article 240. It will also have executive, budgetary, planning, and financial powers.
Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co-chairman Sajjad Kargili said the government has proposed a UT-level elected body with constitutional safeguards under Article 371. “We have agreed to discuss in principle this model of governance. If it is satisfactory, we will accept it. But our long-term aspiration will remain statehood, which is also reflected in the recent minutes of meeting with MHA,” he said.
Kargili said Ladakh’s representatives are waiting for a detailed draft from the Centre to assess the proposed governance structure. “We are urging the government to give us a draft. If we see the UT-level elected body is satisfactory, we will accept it. We will continue our struggle for statehood if the body fails to meet people’s expectations,” the KDA co-chairman said.
The KDA and Leh Apex Body (LAB), representing groups from Kargil and Leh, had joined hands after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the Jammu and Kashmir state into two UT on August 5, 2019 and launched agitation for constitutional safeguards under Sixth Schedule and statehood with a legislature for the cold desert. Another round of talks between MHA officials and Ladakh leaders will be held in October.
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