Ladakh sub-committee, MHA resume talks on statehood, Sixth Schedule

Srinagar, Oct 22: A nine-member sub-committee of Ladakh leadership held its meeting with the top officials of the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The sub-committee meeting held in the North Block was attended by top MHA officials, besides all the members of the Sub-Committee, including three each from Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB), and Member of Parliament Ladakh Muhammad Hanifa Jan, besides Chief Executive Councillors of the twin LAHDCs of Kargil and Leh.

Chief Secretary Ladakh, Pawan Kotwal, also attended the meeting.

The sub-committee was represented by former MP Ladakh, Thupstan Tsewang, President Ladakh Buddhist Association Chhering Dorjey, and Ladakh Congress President Nawang Rogzin Jora from LAB, Co-chairman of KDA Qamar Ali Akhoon, working president of Ladakh Congress Asgar Ali Karbalai, and representative of Jamiat-ul-Ulema Isna Asharia Kargil (JUIAK) Ladakh, Sajjad Kargili from the KDA.

Sources said that the meeting lasted for over an hour and ended on a positive note.

They said that during the meeting, the Ladakh leaders focused on key demands for Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.

The Ladakh leaders also raised the issue of the release of all the detainees, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who were detained following the September 24 protests in Leh.

While the LAB and KDA, an amalgam of social, political, religious, and student organisations, have been involved in discussions with a panel of the MHA, including Union Minister of State (MOS) Nityanand Rai, for quite some time, the meeting on Wednesday was the first in the series to hold concrete discussions.

Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Member of Parliament Ladakh Muhammad Hanifa Jan said that their talks with the MHA resumed on a “positive note”.

Jan said that it was the first time that the MHA officials discussed in detail the key issues and were positive and serious to the issues raised.

He said that they were hopeful that the talks would continue for a fruitful result.

Jan said that in the meeting, they stressed on time-bound resolution of their key demands, including statehood and the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh.

“We demanded that democracy be restored in Ladakh. We also discussed the unfortunate September 24 incident and welcomed the judicial inquiry ordered. We sought immediate release of all detainees, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk,” he said.

LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjey said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, and they reiterated their key demands, including statehood and the Sixth Schedule.

“The meeting took place in a very positive atmosphere, with an encouraging start,” he said.

Dorjey said that all their demands were heard.

“We are hopeful of a positive outcome soon,” he said.

Dorjey said that they also demanded the immediate release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was detained on September 26 under the National Security Act (NSA) and lodged at the Jodhpur Jail in Rajasthan.

KDA member Sajjad Kargili said that the issues of statehood and Sixth Schedule were on the table.

“There is a hopeful expectation that Ladakh’s issues will be addressed in the near future. Although a single meeting is unlikely to yield immediate results, a request was made for a series of meetings to thoroughly discuss and resolve these issues. Additionally, a demand was made for the release of detainees, including Sonam Wangchuk, and compensation for families who lost their loved ones in the September 24 Police firing,” he said.

The next meeting of the MHA’s subcommittee is likely to be held within a week, although no set time period has been given.

The Ladakh leaders had boycotted the talks scheduled with the MHA on October 6 after the Leh protests and killings.

However, afterwards, the MHA extended a fresh invitation to representatives of the LAB and KDA for another round of talks in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The meeting came as part of renewed engagement after months of deadlock between the Centre and Ladakh’s two major socio-political coalitions — the LAB and KDA.

The dialogue resumed after the MHA’s October 17 announcement of a judicial inquiry into the September 24 Leh protests and killings, which left four persons dead and over 80 injured, fulfilling one of the preconditions set by LAB and KDA to return to the table.