LAB, KDA insist for talks on Statehood, 6th Schedule
Want reps of their choice from two bodies in HPC
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 19: After nearly 22 months, the stalled dialogue between Ladakh leaders and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) began today with Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai chairing a high-level meeting in North Block, the outcome of which was described as “positive” by most of those whom the Excelsior spoke.
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Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Joint Secretary Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs and Director Ladakh MHA were part of the official delegation among others led by Nityanand Rai while Ladakh leaders including Thupstan Chhewang, a two-time Lok Sabha MP, Chering Dorjay and Nawang Rigzin Jora, both former Ministers in erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir (all three from Leh Apex Body) and Qamar Ali Akhoon, also a former Minister, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie, ex MLA and Sajjad Kargili represented Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
The meeting lasted about two hours from 11.30 am onwards in New Delhi.
Chering Dorjay, co-Chairman LAB told the Excelsior on telephone after the meeting that they stressed for inclusion of their agenda whenever the High Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the Union Home Ministry to discuss issues of Ladakh, meets.
“Our four-point agenda especially the grant of Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh should be part of the agenda. Further, the members from LAB and KDA for the HPC meeting should be finalized in consultations with us,” Dorjay said, adding that elected representatives can be included in the talks but there should be no “unwanted persons”.
LAB chairman Thupstan Chhewang told reporters in New Delhi after the talks that they have briefed Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai of their issues including four-point agenda. He expressed confidence that the talks will go on.
KDA co-chairman Qamar Ali Akhoon told the Excelsior that they insisted on inclusion of their agenda in the next meeting.
As per the Ladakh leaders, who attended the meeting, they reiterated their four-point agenda at the meeting including Sixth Schedule status and Statehood for Ladakh, two Lok Sabha seats–one each for Leh and Kargil– and job opportunities for the locals.
They demanded constitution of the Public Service Commission (PSC) for Ladakh but said if it can’t be constituted, Ladakh should be included in the PSC of Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.
However, they stressed, the Ladakh Resident Certificate (LRC) should be made mandatory for all kind of recruitments.
They said the Union MoS Home and the top MHA officials listened to their issues and assured that the talks will go on and the HPC meeting will be called.
The LAB and KDA have reservations over the HPC which headed by Nityanand Rai was constituted by the MHA on January 4 this year. They had objected to inclusion of some leaders and wanted that representatives of LAB and KDA in the HPC should be finalized with their consent.
Moreover, they were of the view that their agenda should be part of the HPC which is precondition for their attending the next meeting.
However, the MHA didn’t issue any official statement on the meeting.
The MHA had on January 3 set up a High Powered Committee headed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai comprising then LG of Ladakh RK Mathur, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgayal and many leaders from Leh and Kargil.
However, the LAB and KDA in their meeting on January 7 decided to boycott the HPC on the ground that neither their agenda was included in the HPC nor the names of members recommended by them were included. Later, the LAB and KDA sent names to the Union Home Ministry which they wanted to be included in the HPC.
It may be mentioned here that LAB and KDA had held joint protest initially in Jammu followed by Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in support of their demands earlier.
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 during 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.
Today was first direct and official meeting of the MHA with Ladakh leaders after August 29, 2021.
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