KDA, LAB Begin 72-Hour Fast in Kargil, Warn of Wider Agitation Over Centre’s Silence

Statehood, Sixth Schedule Top Agenda as Ladakh’s Peaceful Agitation Enters New Phase

KARGIL, Aug 9: At  Hussani Park in Kargil on Saturday morning, a three-day hunger strike commenced in support of four key demands, statehood for Ladakh, inclusion of the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Leh and Kargil, and the establishment of a dedicated Public Service Commission (PSC). The peaceful protest, jointly organised by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Leh Apex Body (LAB), marks yet another chapter in a years-long struggle that has seen repeated appeals to the Centre for constitutional and administrative safeguards.

The hunger strike comes amid mounting frustration among KDA and LAB leaders over what they see as an unjustified delay in convening the next round of talks with the High-Powered Committee (HPC) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Both groups, which have been jointly spearheading the movement for the past five years, have engaged in several rounds of discussions with the Centre, but they allege that the core issues remain largely unaddressed.

A banner prominently displayed at the protest venue read, “Together, we can build a future where Ladakh governs Ladakh,” underscoring the movement’s vision of self-governance and autonomy. The slogans, painted boldly on placards carried by protestors such as “End Colonial Treatment, Restore Democracy” and “Statehood – Sixth Schedule and Strong Ladakh” reflected a deep sense of urgency.

Speaking at the gathering, KDA Co-chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai stressed that the hunger strike was part of a larger, sustained agitation. “Over the past four years, we have staged strikes, fasts, protest marches, and even foot marches from Ladakh to Delhi. While some of our demands have been discussed with the Centre, two of our most fundamental issues statehood and the Sixth Schedule remain untouched in any meaningful way,” he said. Karbalai recalled that during their last meeting in May, the HPC chairman, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, along with the Union Home Secretary, had assured them that talks on these key demands would commence the following month. “But not a single discussion has taken place. This continued delay makes it difficult for us to believe it is merely procedural—it feels deliberate,” he remarked.

According to Karbalai, the decision to launch the hunger strike was not taken lightly. “We had placed our trust in dialogue, and we still do, but the prolonged silence from the Centre leaves us with no choice but to intensify our peaceful agitation. If the government fails to respond, we are prepared to expand this protest across Ladakh,” he warned, adding that the core committee of KDA and LAB will soon meet to finalise the next course of action.

Another senior leader, Sajjad Kargili, echoed these concerns, accusing the government of reneging on its commitment to hold further talks. “We have chosen the path of peaceful, democratic protest to remind the government of its unfulfilled promises. This colonial-style governance has no place in Ladakh’s future,” he asserted. Kargili urged the immediate restoration of democratic institutions in Ladakh and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule, calling it essential for safeguarding the rights, culture, and land of the region’s people.