Ladakh announces block-level movement for Constitutional safeguards from Apr 24
Ahead of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu, various religious, political and student organisations in the Union Territory of Ladakh have announced to start their block-level movement from April 24 in support of their demand for Constitutional safeguards for the region under the Sixth Schedule.
The decision in this effect was taken during a meeting of Apex Body of People’s Movement for 6th Schedule for Ladakh under the chairmanship of former minister CheringDorjeyLakrook on Monday.
Sources said that representatives of all religious, political, women and students’ unions attended the meeting which was convened to discuss the future course of action to sensitize the people of Ladakh on the four-point agenda comprising Statehood for Ladakh, Sixth Schedule like status, two Parliamentary seats instead of one and Government jobs for the youth of Ladakh.
Sources said that the decision to revive the agitation was taken after the representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two bodies jointly fighting for the cause, didn’t receive any communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for dialogue.
“It is to inform the people of Ladakh that the wait is finally over, and the members of the Apex body are going to start the movement from DiskitNubra Valley on April 24. The Apex body is scheduled to visit the Block headquarters in the first round of tour, and soon after that, the second round of tour is expected to cover the villages of Leh,” the meeting decided.
The Apex body, however, expressed sincere gratitude to the people of Ladakh for their patience and continuous support. “We request all the people of Ladakh, stakeholders and other vital establishments to cooperate and actively participate in this movement. United support of each Ladakhis for this movement will ensure a safe and secure future for Ladakh,” the meeting stated.
Pertinently, the agitational programme was suspended during harsh winters in Ladakh after complete bandh on December 13 last year. The LAB recently met in Leh under the chairmanship of ThupstanChhewang, a two-time Lok Sabha member, and decided to resume agitation jointly with the KDA.
It is worth mentioning that the BJP has dissociated itself from the LAB. It has not been supporting demand for Statehood to Ladakh on the ground that grant of Union Territory status was major demand of the Himalayan region which was fulfilled by the Central Government on August 5, 2019 while abrogating special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating erstwhile State into two UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
