No talks till normalcy restored in Ladakh: Leh Apex Body
KDA demands unconditional release of Wangchuk, says Centre ‘alienating’ people of Ladakh
Leh/Kargil: Hardening its stand following the killing of four protesters during clashes with security forces last week, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Monday announced that it will stay away from talks with the High Powered Committee of the Home Ministry till normalcy is restored in Ladakh and a conducive atmosphere is created.
LAB Chairman Thupstan Chhewang made the announcement shortly after the fourth victim of the violence — a former army soldier — was cremated amid tight security in curfew-bound Leh.
The curfew, imposed last Wednesday, was relaxed for two hours at 4 PM in the entire town. There was no untoward incident reported from anywhere, officials said.
“We have unanimously agreed that the situation that is prevailing in Ladakh, keeping that in view, as long as peace is not restored and a conducive atmosphere is not created, we will not participate in any talks,” Chhewang, a former two-time Member of Parliament, said at a press conference here.
“We will urge the Home Ministry, UT administration, and the administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger that is there,” he said.
Widespread violent protests occurred on September 24 during a shutdown called by LAB to advance talks with the Centre on the demands for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
Four people were killed and scores of others were injured in clashes between protesters and security personnel, while over 50 people were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in rioting. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, the main face of the agitation, was also detained under the stringent NSA.
After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre had on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been spearheading the agitation for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to the Union Territory. The talks were scheduled for October 6.
“After a long struggle of 70 years, the Centre granted Union Territory status to Ladakh without a legislature (in August 2019), but it was not as per our expectations and justice.
“We felt that the safeguards provided to us under Article 370 and Article 35A were eroded along with democracy, prompting us to launch a fresh agitation for our genuine rights,” Chhewang said.
He said the central government initially assured them on the safeguards, and a process of talks continued for five years on their four demands – extension of safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, statehood, separate cadr, job reservation and public service commission, and separate Lok Sabha seats.
“Our struggle was continuing in a peaceful manner, but what happened on September 24 was beyond one’s understanding… the CRPF acted like hooligans and used excessive force, killing and injuring our people and creating an atmosphere of fear, grief and anger among the people of Ladakh,” he alleged.
He said while they were peacefully holding protests, including a hunger strike, the administration used “excessive force” , despite the fact that the LAB was in touch with the central government and preparing for the talks, notwithstanding the differences over the dates.
Meanwhile, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) demanded the immediate and unconditional release of activist Sonam Wangchuk and others detained after September 24 violence in Leh, warning the Centre that its failure to meet Ladakh statehood and other core demands is “alienating” the people in the Himalayan region.
The KDA, which along with the Leh Apex Body is spearheading the agitation for statehood to Ladakh and other constitutional protections, held the Union Territory administration directly responsible for the violence in Leh that left four people dead and dozens of others, including security personnel, injured.
Addressing a press conference here, KDA member Sajjad Kargili called for the unconditional release of Wangchuk, who was taken in custody under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in a Jodhpur jail, and other youth leaders detained in Leh.
He stressed that the demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule are “not negotiable.”
“At a time when the nation is facing multiple challenges, such treatment of people of Ladakh, a sensitive region, will increase the sense of alienation and insecurity among the people,” Kargili said, adding the government should “use wisdom and deal with people sensibly”.
“The way bullets were fired, and many were injured, there should be some accountability… This is a big example of why we need democracy,” Kargili said.
He questioned the government’s stance, remarking, “What was wrong in Ladakh demanding democracy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about democracy being in the ‘DNA’ of Indians?”
Kargili asserted that the UT administration’s handling of the situation was a failure, as he particularly pointed out the “lack of preparedness and the decision to open fire”.
“The CRPF has failed us. Twenty of our soldiers were martyred on the China border, but the government did not give permission to open fire on the Chinese army. What kind of government is this, which has given the order to open fire on the protesters?” he said.
The KDA leader demanded an impartial judicial probe into the violence and accountability from the administration, especially given that it had claimed to have prior intelligence of potential unrest.
“When you have information… Why didn’t you take preventive measures? Why did you have to fire?” he asked, comparing the response to the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, where a complete shutdown was enforced.
“Those who were protesting at the site of the fast were peaceful until the last. This happened outside. We are demanding an impartial judicial probe,” he said.
Kargili acknowledged that Wangchuk’s arrest has amplified the region’s issues nationally. “Very few people knew about the struggles of Ladakh, but after the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk, this issue and the demands of Ladakh have reached every home in the country,” he said.
He predicted a surge in nationwide protests, noting, “Earlier, the protest was only in Ladakh; now you will see protests in different parts of the country.”
He reiterated that dialogue had only occurred following protests, noting that the date for an upcoming meeting with Union Government representatives, likely to take place on Tuesday, was set only after Wangchuk’s recent fast began.
“A sense of alienation, betrayal, is increasing among the people of Ladakh,” Kargili said, adding, “The people of Ladakh are the strength of this country. They should not be pushed to the wall.”
He affirmed that the long-standing demands remain non-negotiable, saying, “The idea of Union Territory has failed badly in addressing the aspirations of the people.”
Kargili claimed that authorities are using festivals to distract the people of Ladakh and keep them out of policy discussions. He said the Ladakhis are demanding the protection of their tribal identity and the actual delivery of democracy.
