SRI NAGAR: Seven months after bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir state, people newly-created Ladakh Union Territory (UT) say that they have become ‘voiceless.’
Nasir Munshi, secretary Kargil Joint Action Committee (KJAC) said that people in Kargil never demanded the creation of separate Ladakh UT.
“We were happy with J&K state. We had legislature and representative power and our legislators used to raise issues concerning people in J&K Assembly,” he said adding, “After scrapping of J&K’s special status and bifurcation of the state, we have become voiceless”. Munshi said Ladakh UT does not have any legislature and in such a case who will “plead our cases”.
People in Kargil staged a protest for over a fortnight against the bifurcation. It was the only district in J&K to openly protest against the scrapping of special status other than Kashmir, which remained under total lockdown. Munshi said after splitting Ladakh from J&K, the government has done nothing to compensate people of Kargil.
“We are a land-locked region and need constitutional safeguards to protect our identity, land, jobs and business. Our children cannot compete at All India level,” he said adding in absence of constitutional safeguards, Ladakhi people are facing a grave threat to their identity and culture.The government, he alleged, has discriminated with Kargil by giving all top administrative posts, LG’s office to Leh. According to Munshi, if given a chance, people would prefer again to be part of Jammu and Kashmir.