Rana voices concern over Ladakh protests
New Delhi, Sep 24: Senior Cabinet Minister in the Omar Abdullah-led Government and tribal leader Javed Ahmed Rana expressed grave concern over the unfolding developments in Ladakh, terming the ongoing protests a “clear manifestation of the growing disconnect between the people and the institutions that are meant to represent them.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Rana said that the unrest in Ladakh is not an isolated expression of discontent but reflects a wider crisis of political disempowerment and exclusion across the entire region of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“The replacement of elected governance with bureaucratic control strikes at the core of our constitutional democracy,” Rana said.
“The growing reliance on centralised administration cannot substitute the will or aspirations of the people. What we are witnessing today in Ladakh is a direct outcome of that alienation.”
Rana emphasised that the ongoing unrest must be seen in the larger context of the erosion of democratic institutions and representative mechanisms in both Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh post-August 2019.
Calling for immediate corrective steps, he urged the Union Government to urgently restore full democratic rights and institutional autonomy, in line with India’s federal democratic framework.
“Democracy is not merely about administrative efficiency—it is about trust in the people’s will. Governance from a distance breeds resentment, not resolution,” Rana remarked.
Reiterating the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference’s unwavering commitment to democratic values, regional autonomy and inclusive governance, Rana affirmed solidarity with all those in Ladakh and across Jammu & Kashmir who are seeking a return to representative politics and constitutional safeguards.
The statement comes amid growing protests in Ladakh, where civil society groups, student bodies and local political organisations have intensified demands for constitutional protections, greater autonomy and the reinstatement of democratic processes.
Rana has warned that continued political alienation in the region would only deepen discontent and weaken public faith in the system, urging New Delhi to respond not with delay or deflection, but with sincerity and concrete action.
