Ladakh leaders opt out of Centre’s panel, say they are better off in erstwhile J&K

• Apex Body of Ladakh and Kargil Democratic Alliance have unanimously decided that it will not be part of the any proceedings of the committee until their demands
• Lt Governor of Ladakh, MP Ladakh, a senior home ministry official and nine representatives of Apex Body of Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance are members of the Committee
• The move is a major challenge for the central government amid a protracted military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh

Ladakhi leaders, having opted out of the Centre’s high powered committee, say they were better off in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir than under the Union Territory administration.

Days after the Union home ministry formed a committee, headed by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, to end resentment in the region, the leadership spearheading protests in Ladakh has refused to be part of the panel.

The Apex Body of Ladakh and Kargil Democratic Alliance have unanimously decided that it will not be part of the any proceedings of the committee until their demands, including statehood to Ladakh and special status under 6th schedule of the constitution, are made part of the agenda of high powered committee.

Lt Governor of Ladakh, MP Ladakh, a senior home ministry official and nine representatives of Apex Body of Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance are members of the Committee.

“Given the present scenario, we feel the earlier arrangement of being part of J&K was better,” said Chering Dorjay, leader of the Apex Body of Leh and senior vice president of Ladakh Buddhist Association.

Dorjay alleged that the centre is trying to make a fool of Ladakhi people after forming the high powered committee but refuses to accept their demand of statehood and 6th schedule for Ladakh.

“They are trying to make fool of us. We understand that the centre is against our demand for statehood and 6th schedule,” said Mr Dorjay.

For more than a year, people in Ladakh are on an agitation demanding statehood and special status under 6th schedule of the constitution.

The move is a major challenge for the central government amid a protracted military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

“All these things can be protected under the 6th schedule of the constitution. They (centre) say they will protect jobs, land and identity of Ladakh. But under which act and the schedule they will do it?” asks Dorjay.