UT getting sufficient funds, ST reservation raised: MHA
*LAB, KDA to take agitation to Jammu, New Delhi
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 14: While a Parliamentary Committee has recommended to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to consider examining the Union Territory of Ladakh in Fifth or Sixth Schedule, the MHA has evaded direct reply saying main objective of inclusion of tribal population under the Schedule is to ensure their overall socio-economic development which the UT administration has already been taking care of since its creation.
Meanwhile, Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been jointly struggling for grant of Sixth Schedule like status to Ladakh, Statehood and other demands have decided to intensify their agitation and spread it to Jammu and New Delhi to highlight their issues and make the Central Government act on them.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha has stated that tribal population in Ladakh is 2,18,355 which accounts to 79.61 percent of the total population of Ladakh i.e. 2,74,289. The PSC has taken the figures of 2011 census.
The Committee recommended that possibility of including Ladakh in Fifth or Sixth Schedule may be examined.
“Ladakh may be granted special status considering developmental requirements of the tribal population,” the Panel said.
In its response to recommendations of the Parliam-entary Committee, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said the main objective for inclusion of tribal population under fifth/sixth schedule is to ensure their overall socio-economic development, which, the UT administration of Ladakh has already been taking care of since its creation.
“Sufficient funds are being provided to Ladakh to meet its overall developmental requirements,” the Ministry said
It added that the Ladakh administration had recently increased the reservation for Scheduled Tribes in direct recruitment from 10% to 45%, which would help the tribal population significantly in its development.
The LAB and KDA have been demanding Sixth Schedule like status and Statehood for Ladakh, two Parliamentary seats and expedited recruitment.
There has been no direct communication between Home Ministry and representatives of LAB and KDA, which have been spearheading agitation in Ladakh on their four major demands, for past several months.
In fact both Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil have 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.
Apex Body leader Chering Dorjay told the Excelsior that as part of their intensification of agitation in favour of their demands, the LAB and KDA will take their agitation outside Ladakh by staging dharna in Jammu on December 18 followed by another protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for which a date is yet to be decided.
“There has been no contact between us and the Central Government. They are not ready to even listen to our demands,” Dorjay said.
He added that Sixth Schedule like status will also strengthen the twin Hill Councils in Ladakh by giving them legislative powers.
KDA leader Sajjad Kargili said they have been agitating in Ladakh and now they will also hold protests in Jammu and New Delhi in favour of their demands. He reiterated the demand for Statehood and Sixth Schedule like status to Ladakh besides two Parliamentary seats for the UT and expedited recruitment etc.
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.
However, the body hasn’t been constituted as yet.
LAB chief Thupstan Chhewang had individually met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on June 17 this year and reiterated the demands before him. However, since then, there has been no official communication between the Home Ministry and LAB and KDA representatives.
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