On MHA's call Ladakh leadership to attend meeting in Delhi on December 3

Kargil, Nov 26: In a significant development a delegation of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of social, political, trade, students and religious groups from Ladakh, will meet the Union Minister of state (MoS) Home Nityanand Rai,  in Delhi on December 3. The meeting is going to be held on the invitation of ministry of Home Affairs.

The meeting is  taking place after months of the stalled dialogue between Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the LAB and KDA leaders. Earlier, the Ladakh leadership had held several rounds of meetings with Union Home Ministry during past more than two years on four-point agenda. The agenda include the  demand for Statehood, Sixth Schedule, Public Services Commission and two Parliamentary seats for Ladakh.

The MHA issued a letter fixing meeting of the High Powered Committee at 11 AM in the North Block, New Delhi on December 3. “A High Powered Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Government of India for the Union Territory of Ladakh vide the Home Ministry’s order dated 2.1.2023. The said Committee was reconstituted further under the chairmanship of Rai on 30.11.2023. It has been decided to hold next meeting of the Committee on 3.12.2024 at North Block to continue the discussion further as per the Terms of Reference of the Committee,” the notice of meeting issued by the MHA said.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will hold another meeting with the leaders of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in New Delhi on December 3. The meeting will be chaired by the Union MoS Home, Nityanand Rai, who is also the chairman of the High Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the MHA, on December 3. We are hopeful of a positive outcome of the meeting,” Member of Parliament Ladakh Mohammad Haneefa Jan told Greater Kashmir. He said the Ladakh leaders will reiterate their four point demands.

Sources said the Government of India has shown flexibility in its stand and expressed readiness to discuss all contentious issues being raised by the representatives of KDA and LAB after the region was granted the status of the Union Territory on August 5, 2019. They said Rai will chair the meeting while top officers of the MHA including the Home Secretary will attend. Three members each from Leh and Kargil districts are expected to attend the talks. They include Thupstan Chhewang, a two-time MP from Ladakh, Chering Dorjay Lakruk and Nawang Rigzin Jora (all from Leh); and Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Karbalaie and Sajjad Kargili (all from Kargil).

Chhewang and Lakruk are chairman and co-chairman Leh Apex Body (LAB) while Jora is Congress chief for the Union Territory. Akhoon representing National Conference and Karbalaie hailing from the Congress are co-chairpersons of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). Sajjad Kargili is a prominent political leader and activist. CECs-cum Chairpersons of Leh and Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Councils including Tashi Gyalson and Dr Mohammad Jaffar Akhoon, Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa Jan and Advisor to Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Dr Pawan Kotwal are also being invited to the meeting, the sources said, adding that top officials of the MHA including the Home Secretary, the Joint Secretary Incharge Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and others will also join.