The leaders of Ladakh’s Kargil and Leh districts have warned that they will restart their agitation if the Centre doesn’t engage with them on their four-point agenda including statehood, Sixth Schedule status for the region, public service commission and two Lok Sabha MPs for both Kargil and Leh.
Both the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), representing different political, social, and religious groups in Ladakh, have joined forces to press for their four-point agenda since the abrogation of Article 370 and division of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UT).
The LAB co-chairman told THE WEEK that they were hoping the Centre would invite them for talks on their four-point agenda after the Lok Sabha polls, but that hasn’t happened.
He said it was decided in a meeting with KDA that if the talks don’t resume, an agitation will be launched.
He said the Centre’s decision to give some powers to the Autonomous Hill Council in Leh and Kargil has nothing to do with their demands. “We are not fighting for that,” he said. “Our demands are the four-point agenda.”
Hanifa Jan, an MP from Ladakh, told THE WEEK that he raised the issue of the four-point agenda in the Parliament and sought an audience with the Home Minister Amit Shah.
“The Parliament was in session and the home minister had some other engagements, so I couldn’t meet him,’’ he said. “But I am sure I will be given time by the home minister to discuss the matter.”
Jan said he will continue to raise the demands of Ladakh inside and outside the Parliament, and added that the unique identity of the UT needs to be safeguarded.
Meanwhile, Ladakh’s famous climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has announced to go on a hunger strike from the Independence Day if the Centre doesn’t invite Ladakh’s leaders to talks.
In March, Wangchuk observed a hunger strike for several weeks to bring the attention of people outside Ladakh on their demands.
Wangchuk said he will initiate a four-week fast from August 15 to press for the demand that Ladakh should be conferred a Sixth Schedule status.