The lockdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) disrupted normal life in the Union Territory on Tuesday, while people participated in a protest in Leh to demand commitment from the Center on the decisions taken at a meeting of Ladakh representatives and a sub-committee of the Union Home Ministry regarding constitutional safeguards for the region, officials familiar with the matter said.
Everything is under control,” said Shri Ram, Superintendent of Police, Leh.
The LAB and KDA called the strike, alleging that the Center had failed to respect the May 22 discussions that covered the proposed democratic structure of Ladakh with legislative, executive and financial powers, along with constitutional safeguards similar to those in place in Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram through the proposed Article 371K.
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“When we saw that the decisions from the June 22 meeting were not properly reflected in the minutes, we refused to sign the document and asked for it to be corrected, which never happened,” said Tshering Dorjay Larcock, LAB co-chair. He said representatives of LAB and KDA held a meeting on June 19 and decided to protest against the government’s omissions.
A senior government official who did not wish to be named said: “The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has actively engaged with the people of Ladakh. The talks have made significant progress. The outcome of the subcommittee meeting on May 22 was very positive and welcomed by all stakeholders in Ladakh. We are committed to providing constitutional guarantees and will take concrete steps in consultation with the people of Ladakh.”
Ladakh bodies are demanding statehood and protection under the Sixth Schedule after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which withdrew special status from Jammu and Kashmir, dividing the erstwhile state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without a legislature.
