Successor to be named by MHA in couple of days
Mathur leaves Leh, returns to New Delhi
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 11: Amidst intensification of agitation by Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) with call to ‘Chalo Delhi’ on February 15, the Union Home Ministry today shifted Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Radha Krishna Mathur and his successor is expected to be named in next couple of days amid hectic consultations over the name including whether he would be retired bureaucrat, mainly strategic expert, or a political personality.
Following marching orders from the Centre, Mathur, the first Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, today left Leh for New Delhi briefing his staff and senior Government officers that he has been shifted from the Union Territory after about three years and four months tenure. The LGs, like the Governors, have five-year tenure.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Mathur was conveyed about his shifting as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh by the Union Home Ministry after which he packed his luggage and returned to Delhi. He, however, briefed senior bureaucrats, personal staff and important political functionaries in Leh and Kargil districts about his shifting.
However, no official order was available either in New Delhi or in Ladakh about the shifting of Mathur but sources confirmed that it has been issued.
On appointment of his successor, sources said, several names, both retired bureaucrats and political leaders, are under consideration at the Centre. Successor of Mathur could be named in the next couple of days, they added.
Mathur had served as Defence Secretary as well as Chief Information Commissioner.
Sources don’t rule out the ongoing agitation in Ladakh being one of the reasons for premature shifting of the Lieutenant Governor as the organizers have decided to intensify it with ‘Chalo Delhi’ call on February 15 when the LAB and KDA leaders propose to hold dharna at Jantar Mantar in support of their four major demands including Statehood for Ladakh, Sixth Schedule status, two Lok Sabha seats and job opportunities.
The agitation was going on for last more than two years with Leh and Kargil representatives keeping aside their political rivalry and joining hands for the demands by observing hartals, holding protest in Jammu and not giving call for ‘Chalo Delhi’ on February 15.
Mathur was appointed as first Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh on October 25, 2019 along with Girish Chandra Murmu as the LG of Jammu and Kashmir. Till then, Satya Pal Malik was functioning as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
It was on August 5, 2019 that the Central Government bifurcated erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh after withdrawal of special status. J&K and Ladakh formally became the UTs on October 31, 2019.
While Jammu and Kashmir was granted the Legislature, Ladakh was denied this. Few months after becoming the Union Territory, unrest started brewing in Kargil district as it was Leh which was asking for the UT for years. However, subsequently, Leh also joined the demand for Statehood.
Later, representatives of Leh and Kargil floated Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance and both the bodies joined hands raising four major demands, the Statehood for Ladakh being one of them.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs held few rounds of talks with the striking bodies in New Delhi as well as in Leh but the dialogue couldn’t take place since August 2021. It was on January 3 this year that the MHA set up a High Powered Committee headed by Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai for talks including nine representatives of LAB and KDA but the two bodies rejected the HPC on the ground that neither it includes their agenda nor representatives whose names were given by them.
With stalemate over dialogue, the LAB and KDA proposed to march to New Delhi on February 15 to protest at Jantar Mantar in support of their demands.
Education reformist Sonam Wangchuk today announced that he too would join the protest at Delhi.
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