19-06-2023: A delegation comprising six members from Ladakh recently held a meeting with Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, to address their longstanding demands for statehood and special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This meeting comes after several socio-religious, political, and youth organizations from Leh and Kargil had previously declined participation in a high-powered committee established by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to safeguard the land and employment interests of the people of Ladakh.
During the meeting, the delegation raised their objections regarding the composition of the aforementioned high-powered committee and discussed their demands. Among the members of the delegation were notable figures such as former Ladakh MP Thupstan Chhewang, former MLAs Chering Dorjey and Nawang Rigzin Jora from the Leh Apex Body, and former MLAs Qamar Ali Akhoon and Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie, along with social-political activist Sajjad Hussain.
The demands put forth by the delegation encompassed various key issues. They emphasized the need for statehood for Ladakh, as well as special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants greater administrative and political autonomy to tribal areas. Additionally, the delegation sought separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, as well as a dedicated recruitment drive to provide employment opportunities for educated local youth.
Since its designation as a Union Territory separate from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, Ladakh has witnessed ongoing demonstrations and protests advocating for the protection of the region’s interests. In an effort to consolidate their demands, the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, representing diverse social and religious groups from Leh and Kargil, formed an alliance in August 2021.
In response to the agitation, the Ministry of Home Affairs formed a high-powered committee in January, headed by Union Minister Nityanand Rai, to address the concerns of the people of Ladakh. However, the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance rejected the committee, citing reservations regarding its agenda and composition.
In February, representatives and residents from Ladakh organized a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to amplify their demands and draw attention to their cause. The delegation’s recent meeting with the Union Minister of State for Home aimed to reiterate their concerns and press for the fulfillment of their demands related to statehood, special status, and other crucial issues affecting the people of Ladakh.