Jammu & Kashmir: People in Ladakh hit streets demanding special status, statehood

Srinagar: After three years as a Union territory, Ladakh's twin districts Leh and Kargil witnessed large street protests today, with many people demanding special status under the sixth schedule and statehood. The Apex Body-Leh (ABL), a coalition of religious and political parties in Leh, organises protests in the district. Thupstan Chhewang, the ABL's leader, led the rally from the NDS Memorial Sports Ground to Leh's Polo Ground. While the Kargil Democratic Alliance, an alliance of Kargil's religious and political parties, organised street protests in the Kargil area. The organisations 'Leh Apex Body' and 'Kargil Democratic Alliance' have joined forces to press for Ladakh's statehood and special status. The protesters were also demanding constitutional safeguards on the line of the sixth schedule of the Indian constitution, the Early recruitment process, and separate seats in parliament for Leh and Kargil.

In Kargil, the protest started from Hussaini park and marched towards Isna Asharia chowk and culminated at Lal Chowk Kargil. During the protest the speakers urged the government of India to stop delaying and listen the grievances of the people of Ladakh. They were also raising slogans like 'Democracy bahal karo' and 'Zulum aur Jabr Band karo'

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In Leh a similar protest was held, during which people across all sections joined the street rally. ABL leader Thupstan Chhewang who led the rally in leh said “The Government of India should pay heed to our demand to grant statehood. In case statehood is difficult to grant, let Ladakh be a UT with the legislature. Besides, the demands of constitutional guarantees under the Sixth Schedule and additional representation in the Parliament should be accepted”.

The ABL and KDA have been jointly fighting for the restoration of statehood and special status under the Six Schedule on the lines of rights granted to the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to safeguard local culture, language and demography.

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Last year Union Home Minister Amit Shah had constituted a committee under Minister of State Home G. Kishan Reddy to have a dialogue with the representatives from Ladakh “to find an appropriate solution to the issues related to language, culture and conservation of land in Ladakh”.

Today when there were strong protests on the streets of both twin districts of Ladakh Kargil and Leh, government issued a notification empowering the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Ladakh to make rules for recruitment to the Public Services, Group-A and Group-B gazetted posts. The notification issued by the government empowered the Ladakh L-G “to regulate the recruitment of the posts and necessary qualifications for those posts and service conditions like probation, seniority confirmation and promotions of the persons appointed”.