Will intensify agitation with protests in Jammu, Delhi
*Say names given by them for Committee changed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 7: In a significant decision, the twin bodies of Ladakh, representing Leh and Kargil, today decided to boycott the High Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai till their four-point agenda is included for discussion.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), whose leadership met in Jammu today, said the members suggested by them for inclusion in the Home Ministry’s Panel have also been changed.
Four-point agenda which the two bodies want the HPC to include was released by them in an official statement issued to media signed by Thupstan Chhewang and Tsering Dorjey Lakruk, chairman and vice chairman of LAB and Qamar Ali Akhoon and Asgar Ali Karbalai, both co-chairmen of KDA.
The agenda include full-fledged Statehood for Ladakh, Constitutional safeguards under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, recruitment and job reservation for the youth of UT Ladakh and creation of two separate Parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil.
All these four issues were missing in agenda released by the Union Home Ministry for talks with LAB and KDA though there was reference to protection of rights.
Agenda released by the MHA along with setting up of the HPC few days back include discussion on measures to protect the region’s unique culture and language taking into consideration its geographical location and strategic importance, ensure protection of land and employment for the people of Ladakh, discuss measures for inclusive development and employment generation and measures related to empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) of Leh and Kargil.
“The LAB and KDA have decided not to participate in the proposed meeting as agenda set out for discussion excludes the issues which both the bodies have been advocating. Both bodies are ready to participate in any such meeting which includes the four-point agenda released by the two bodies for discussion,” the statement issued by them after the meeting said.
The two bodies announced intensification of their agitation. They declared to hold protest rally in Jammu on January 15 followed by dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in third week of February.
The statement said the LAB and KDA strongly object to composition of the members of the HPC as the Home Ministry has “arbitrarily” excluded and included members in the Committee. It said the Home Ministry had sought names from them for inclusion in the Panel in the year 2021 which were submitted. They should be included in the HPC, the statement added.
As per the MHA order, the HPC headed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai as Chairman will have Radha Krishna Mathur, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, MP Ladakh, Chairpersons-cum-CECs of LAHDC Leh and Kargil, Joint Secretary, Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs in MHA, Director/ Deputy Secretary (Ladakh), Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs, MHA as Member Secretary and one nominated member from MHA.
The HPC will also have five members of LAB and four from KDA.
They include Thupstan Chhewang, Chairman LAB and president LBA, Nawang Rigzin Jora, former Minister and president, Territorial Congress Committee Ladakh, Ashraf Ali Barcha, president, Anjuman-e-Islamia; Shia body, Leh, Acharya Stanzin Wangtak, president, All Ladakh Gompa Association and Kushok Thiksey alias Nawang Chamba Stanzin alias Thiksey Rinpoche, Leh, all from LAB and Asgar Ali Karblai, co-chairman KDA and Working President Territorial Congress Committee, Ladakh, Qamar Ali Akhoon, co-chairman KDA and senior NC leader, Sajjad Kargili, social activist and representative, Islamia School Kargil and Tsewang Nurboo, president LBA Kargil.
Last year, both Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil had passed separate resolutions seeking Sixth Schedule like status to Ladakh. Leh Council is headed by the BJP while NC is ruling the Council in Kargil.
The BJP is, however, averse to the demand of Statehood for Ladakh saying UT was the demand of Ladakhis for past several years which was fulfilled by the Union Government on August 5, 2019.
Worthwhile to mention here that Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had last met the joint delegation of Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance during his visit to Leh on August 29, 2021 in which he had assured that a Committee would be set up by the Home Ministry for talks with the two bodies of Leh and Kargil.
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