SRINAGAR: In a warning to the Centre, the Ladakh leaders have threatened to intensify agitation if their core demands of statehood and constitutional safeguards under the 6th Schedule are not addressed and made the principal agenda in the forthcoming rounds of talks.
The leaders of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which is an amalgam of various political, social, trade and religious groups of Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh UT, met in Leh today to chalk out future strategy on their 4 point demands including grant of statehood (with legislature), 6th Schedule status, separate Public Service Commission and two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh UT.
The KDA co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai said a resolution was jointly passed in today’s meeting. The resolution demands that the MHA should place statehood and constitutional safeguards under the 6th Schedule as the principal agenda in the forthcoming meeting with the LAB and KDA.
The resolution also resolved that “MHA should not dictate, interfere with or prescribe the composition of LAB and KDA’s High Powered Committee as well as sub-committee.”
Karbalai said the leaders have decided to intensify the agitation.
“The strategy and action for intensifying the agitation will be decided by the leaders of KDA and LAB,” he said.
On the Ladakh UT government’s decision to cancel the land allotment to climate activist and innovator Sonam Wanghuck’s Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) in Ladakh, Karbalai said, “Witch-hunting by UT administration on behest of MHA against HIAL and LAB and KDA members is strongly condemned. We will not tolerate such actions and reject it”.
The talks between Ladakh leaders and MHA have been stalled after the last round of talks on May 27 led to the introduction of the domicile policy for Ladakh UT with a 15-year timeline from 2019.
Karbalai demanded that whatever was decided in their last meeting with MHA should be implemented on the ground.
Stressing on dialogue, the KDA co-chairman said, “We believe in talks. It should not be considered as our weakness but talks should be held with respect and on agenda.”
The KDA and LAB have held a series of protests and sit-ins in Ladakh, Jammu and Delhi to press the Centre to fulfil their demands.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the downgrading and bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two UTs, people in Leh had celebrated the decision while those in Kargil district had opposed the move.
However, later parties in Leh joined hands with political, religious and trade leaders of Kargil to jointly agitate for 4-point demands to safeguard the local identity and fragile environment of the UT.