Observing Aug 5 as ‘black day’: Fissures surface in Congress camp in Ladakh
Srinagar: Differences have surfaced within Ladakh unit of Congress over the party’s president Asgar Karbalie decision to observe August 5 as black day.
The party’s Vice-president T. Samphel and General Secretary Rigzin Spalbar have resigned from their posts to protest against Karbalie’s move.
“I wish to draw your kind attention to the letter dated August 5 addressed to you by our senior Congress leader T. Samphel regarding the shocking statement made by the working President of Territorial Congress Committee (Ladakh) Haji Asgar Ali Karbali, who earlier chose to observe August 5 as ‘Black Day’ for declaring it as a Union Territory,” reads the letter to AICC working resident Sonia Gandhi from Rigzin Spalbar.
“Sampels’ letter is self-explanatory who tendered his resignation from the post of Vice President of Ladakh Territorial Congress over Karbali’s appalling statement. It has been over two weeks since Sampel resigned, TCC Working President has not issued any clarifications so far despite our strong objections to his statement.”
In the letter, Spalbar has written that UT status has been a long-standing demand of the people of Ladakh.
“As a political party we cannot but support the popular political aspirations of the people. It would be politically suicidal for us especially when the election for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council (LAHDC) is round the corner,” the letter reads.
“I cannot subscribe to Karbali’s view and at the same time continue to work as the General Secretary of the TCC (Ladakh) under him. In fact, as one of the fore-front leaders who spearheaded the demand for UT for decades cannot but join the people in their moment of happiness,” he wrote. (KNO)
