Sub-committee of Ladakh leadership holds Ist meeting with MHA officials in Delhi

Kargil, Feb 24: A six member sub- committee of Ladakh leadership today held its first meeting with the top officials of the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) in New Delhi.

The Sub Committee meeting held at 11 AM in the North Block was attended by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla besides all the members of the Sub-Committee including three each from Kargil Democratic Alliance and Leh Apex Body. From Ladakh administration the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor Ladakh, Dr Pawan Kotwal attended the meeting.

The sub-committee was represented by Ladakh Buddhist Association’s (LBA) president Thupstan Tsewang, vice president Chhering Dorje and Ladakh Congress president Nawang Rogzin Jora ( from Leh Apex Body) , Qamar Ali Akhoon, General secretary of the Kargil unit of the National Conference, Asgar Ali Karbalai, working president of the Ladakh Congress, and Sajjad Kargili, representative of Islamia School, Kargil, ( from Kargil Democratic Alliance).

Sources said that the meeting lasted for about two hours and ended on a positive note. They said that during meeting the central government agreed to discuss key demands for Ladakh's statehood,inclusion in 6th Schedule, and establishing a Public service commission for Ladakh. While these two bodies Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of social, political, religious, student organizations have been involved in discussions with a panel of the MHA, including Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai for quite some time, the meeting on Saturday was the first in the series to hold concrete discussions on three issues with only six members from the Ladakh delegation against an earlier panel of 14 members. On February 19, the High Powered Committee meeting chaired by the Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai had asked to constitute a sub committee for taking forward further talks and deliberations. Sources said that after thorough deliberations, the Ladakh leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved and conveyed optimism about the upcoming meeting, anticipated to take place soon.

Addressing a press conference, Leh Apex Body President Thupstan Chhewang said that the sub- committee meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and ended on a positive note. " We discussed all the demands in our agenda including statehood, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh and early job recruitment and establishing a full time Public Service Commission in Ladakh,”he said. Chhewang added that all the demands were heard and “we are hopeful of a positive outcome soon" Chewang said.

Member Kargil Democratic Alliance and prominent social-political activist Sajjad Kargili said that the central government agreed to engage in detailed discussions regarding the demands for Ladakh's statehood, its inclusion in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, and the establishment of an exclusive public service commission for the region. He added that the meeting held on Saturday is a first step towards the positive result. He said MHA agreed that it will hold meeting with legal experts on issue of granting 6th schedule and statehood to Ladakh. The home ministry committed to further advancing these issues in the upcoming meeting, which will also involve legal experts to assess the demands from a legal perspective, adding that the MHA expressed a willingness to conduct future meetings in Ladakh. However, Ladakh leaders proposed holding the meetings in Delhi for the convenience of legal experts and political leaders who can actively participate. Sajad said that the officials from MHA have said that a meeting with legal experts and the members of the sub-committee will be held to look into the demand for the statehood. However regarding the establishing of a PSC, job reservations and employment opportunities for Ladakh a positive response is likely to be seen in coming days. He said this development is the outcome of the struggle by the Ladakh leadership and unity among the people of Ladakh.