Ahead of a crucial meeting between the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) scheduled for September 9 in New Delhi, the LAB has issued a stern warning regarding intensification of their agitation. They demand that the Centre deliver substantial progress on their key demands, which include critical constitutional safeguards for Ladakh.
Since the Union Territory status was conferred upon Ladakh in August 2019, the LAB, in collaboration with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has led a series of protests advocating for political autonomy and rights.
The LAB’s principal demands encompass legislation for Ladakh at the Union Territory level, protective measures under Article 371, withdrawal of pending cases linked to last year’s September 24 violence, and compensation for victims, along with the publication of the inquiry commission’s report regarding the violence incident.
LAB chairman Chering Dorje Lakruk expressed cautious optimism about the upcoming talks, reiterating their intentions to assess the dialogue based on tangible outcomes. “If the meeting produces a positive outcome and there is constructive and result-oriented dialogue on these issues, we will welcome it. Otherwise, we will intensify our agitation very strongly,” he stated.
Lakruk expressed dissatisfaction with the delay in releasing the commission’s findings from the inquiry into the September 24 violence, which resulted in the deaths of four individuals. He raised concerns about the ongoing legal cases against protesters, highlighting that merely 25 out of nearly 80 cases have been retracted, pointing to what he described as a “double standard” from the Central Government.
“We are all Indians, and everyone should be treated equally. The lives of the people of Ladakh are not so cheap,” Lakruk emphasized, as he reiterated the call for urgent compensation for the families affected by the violence.
In a related development, environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk announced that the LAB is observing September as “Martyrs’ Month” to honor those impacted by the events of the previous year. Several commemorative programs are scheduled throughout the month. However, a padyatra planned to proceed from Kargil to Leh, initially set for September 10, has been postponed pending the outcome of the MHA meeting.
“We have collectively decided to postpone the padyatra for the time being,” Wangchuk explained. He noted that should the talks yield unsatisfactory results, the padyatra could still occur around five days before September 24.
Wangchuk anticipated that the government would present a detailed draft regarding the proposed Ladakh Assembly, encompassing the structure’s powers and rights, during the September 9 discussions. “If there is progress on these issues, we will consider the talks successful,” he asserted.
Wangchuk also characterized the circumstances surrounding the September 24 conflict as “not normal” and suggested that the LAB might disclose more information about the unrest and related arson incidents if necessary. He concluded with a stark warning: “If Ladakh is not treated equally and continues to face discrimination, we will be compelled to launch a very large-scale agitation after September 9.”
