A section of leaders, students and citizens from Ladakh on Wednesday staged a protest in the national capital, demanding statehood with a legislature and the implementation of Schedule VI in the region.
The protest was held more than three years after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories (UTs) – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – by the Union government was welcomed by the Ladakh division. The demand to declare Ladakh as separate UT was long pending in the region. However, while J&K has a legislature, Ladakh was declared a UT without legislature.
Leaders from both Kargil and Leh divisions, under the banner of Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, demanded implementation of Schedule VI, under Article 244 for formation of autonomous district councils that have some legislative, judicial, and administrative autonomy within a state.
“Whatever discussions need to be held will be with Union home minister Amit Shah as a high-powered committee set up by the Centre has no powers,” he said, referring to the panel set up under the chairmanship of minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai in January. “The committee did not include our demands,” he added.
The government is making efforts to reach out to the protesting groups, one of its functionaries said. “But they have complaints about the composition of the committee. We have requested them to put forth these concerns,” he said.
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