‘Those who opposed UT status have no right to speak for Ladakhis’
*Says Zanskar will be made tourism, cultural centre
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, May 12: Union Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries Kiren Rijiju, today asserted that the BJP Government in the Centre has a solution for the genuine problems of Ladakh and a roadmap for the UT’s development.
Addressing media persons at Zanskar, he said the Union Government has prepared a complete blueprint to put Ladakh on the path of development and address all the outstanding issues of the UT within the next five years.
However, to make that happen, he said, people have to support the party’s Lok Sabha nominee, Tashi Gyalson.
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The Union Minister said his party understands the genuine concerns raised by the people of Ladakh in the form of long yet peaceful agitation, including their demand for inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, but people have to understand that it is only the BJP Government that will look into their issues and address them on a priority basis.
“I have come to Zanskar with a guarantee from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi that whatever issues people face here will be addressed in the next five years, as we have prepared a complete blueprint for the region’s development,” he said.
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“We have a roadmap for the future of Ladakh. It was the BJP Government that granted Union Territory status to Ladakh, and let me assure you once more that it will be BJP again that will further beautify this region by providing the people of Ladakh with the necessary infrastructure and other necessities,” the Union Minister assured.
He warned people against certain political leaders trying to provoke the gullible people of Ladakh religiously to make them vote against Tashi Gyalson.
“I advise such people to refrain from such practices. By doing so, they’re putting their and their children’s future in darkness themselves. They have to understand that Tashi Gyalson is backed by a party that is in power.”
“An MP has no executive powers; he is powerful only when his party is in power. Otherwise, with limited LAD funds, an MP cannot achieve anything in a vast region like Ladakh,” Rijiju further said.
“Think for a while that if a Congress or independent candidate is elected to the Lok Sabha, he can only give speeches in the Parliament and cannot deliver anything on the ground. That’s the reason it is very important for the people to understand that they should vote for those candidates only who can work for them; otherwise it is no fun electing a person who cannot execute a single work on the ground,” he added.
Kiren Rijiju also took on a section of people who, according to him, were opposed to granting UT status to Ladakh, and are misguiding the people on one or the other pretext now.
“Those who had opposed granting UT status to Ladakh tooth and nail have no right to speak for the Ladakhis. Only BJP has the right to speak for the people of Ladakh,” Rijiju said.
He said whatever is required to be done in Ladakh post-declaration of the region as a UT, including protection of indigenous rights of people of Ladakh, providing population-related safeguards to the people of Leh, Kargil, or Zanskar, will be done by the BJP Government only.
Replying to a question on the Sixth Schedule and other demands raised by people, including constitutional safeguards in Ladakh, the Union Minister said that Sixth Schedule has been there in the Constitution for a long time to safeguard small tribal groups in the North-Eastern States.
“Above these provisions of the 6th Schedule in the Constitution are the provisions of making a region a Union Territory and then a full-fledged State,” he said.
“But this is not the right time to go into these minute details, as the Union Government has already cleared its position on the issue of Sixth Schedule. At this time, I can only assure the people of Ladakh that we will minutely discuss all their demands to reach a conclusion soon to meet their aspirations and the expectations,” Rijiju replied.
“We have a solution and a roadmap to look into the Sixth Schedule and other issues raised by the people of Ladakh through a long agitation. That’s the reason I urge them to vote for Tashi Gyalson, the BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha elections, because if he is not sent into the Parliament, the growth trajectory of Ladakh will face a major blow,” said the Union Minister.
“Hence,” he said, “it is indispensable for the people of Ladakh to come out and vote for Tashi Gyalson because he is the future of Ladakh.”
Rijiju said that Gyalson is a man of commitment, and whatever he has committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Ladakh will be done by the BJP Government.
“As a senior leader of the BJP and a Minister in the Narendra Modi Government, it is my responsibility to meet the aspirations and expectations of the people of Ladakh. Besides, this is also my responsibility to ensure that the commitments made by our leaders are executed on the ground,” he assured.
Earlier, while driving on the historic NPD Road (Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road) on way to Zanskar, Rijiju had to push his vehicle along with his security staff after it got stuck at a rough portion of the road.
En-route, he also interacted with a group of people who praised the BJP Government for providing road connectivity between Zanskar and Leh.
Thanking them for acknowledging the development in remote corners of Ladakh, the Union Minister said, “You should be thankful to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is really concerned about the people of Zanskar.”
Later, addressing the people of Zanskar region, the Union Minister said that his Government has prepared a blueprint to connect Zanskar with areas of Himachal Pradesh, Leh and Kargil.
“By doing this, Zanskar will automatically become a centre of tourism, culture and sports,” he said.
Rijiju said that in the Congress Government, people hardly knew about Ladakh or Zanskar but soon after Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister of India, he granted Union Territory status to Ladakh to give this region its own identity.
He said he vividly remember when an agitation was fought by the people of Ladakh for UT status to the region, which was outrightly rejected by then Congress Government in the Centre.
“This matter was taken seriously by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it was he who provided UT status,” he said.
Rijiju appealed people to vote for the BJP candidate to see their dreams come true.
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