LEH: Ahead of a crucial meeting of its sub-committee with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on September 9, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) has warned of intensifying its agitation if the Centre fails to make “concrete” progress on its key demands.
The LAB, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading an agitation seeking constitutional and political safeguards for Ladakh since it was granted Union Territory status in August 2019.
Its major demands include legislation for Ladakh at the Union Territory level, safeguards under Article 371, withdrawal of cases registered in connection with the September 24 violence last year, compensation for those killed and injured, and publication of the report of the inquiry commission constituted to probe the incident.
LAB chairman Chering Dorje Lakruk said the organisation welcomed the September 9 meeting with the MHA but made it clear that the talks would be judged by their outcome.
“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,” Lakruk said.
He also expressed disappointment over the delay in making public the report of the inquiry commission constituted to investigate the September 24 violence, in which four people were killed.
Lakruk questioned the continued pendency of cases against people booked in connection with the violence. While welcoming reports regarding withdrawal of cases linked to the July 20 Jantar Mantar incident in Delhi, he accused the Centre of adopting a “double standard” towards Ladakh.
According to him, only 25 of nearly 80 cases registered in connection with last year’s violence have so far been withdrawn.
“We are all Indians, and everyone should be treated equally. The lives of the people of Ladakh are not so cheap,” he said, while reiterating the demand for compensation to the families of those killed and those injured during the agitation.
Meanwhile, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said the LAB was observing September as “Martyrs’ Month” in memory of those killed, injured and jailed last year.
He said several programmes had been planned during the month, but a proposed padyatra from Kargil to Leh, scheduled to begin on September 10, had been postponed in view of the MHA talks on September 9.
“We have collectively decided to postpone the padyatra for the time being,” Wangchuk said.
He added that the march could be revived if the talks failed to produce a satisfactory outcome. In that event, the padyatra could be organised around five days ahead of September 24.
Wangchuk said the LAB expected the government to bring a detailed draft on the proposed Ladakh Assembly, including clarity on its powers and rights, to the September 9 meeting.
“If there is progress on these issues, we will consider the talks successful,” he said.
Wangchuk also said the circumstances surrounding the September 24 violence were “not normal” and indicated that the LAB could disclose what it knew about the violence and incidents of arson if required.
“If Ladakh is not treated in the same manner and stepmotherly treatment is meted out to Ladakh and the people living along the borders, then we will be compelled to launch a very large-scale agitation after September 9,” he said.
