Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Sept 24: The residents of Turtuk, who belong to the Balti Muslim community and are Sufi ethnic Noorbakshia, today alleged that the community was extremely marginalized in Ladakh notwithstanding their 11,000 population constituting more than 50 percent of the Leh district Muslim population.
Addressing a press conference at Press Club Leh, here today, the community representatives said that they have their own unique cultural and religious identity which is different from other Muslim religious organizations in Leh.
They were particularly aggrieved over the recent joint press conference by all religious organisations in Leh to present their demands before the UT consultative Committee, in which they were not invited to put forward their demands. “We should be included in all the decision making issues,” said Mohd Ali Thang, President Anjuman Sufia Noorbaksh Ladakh, who was flanked by Ghulam Mohd Chatapa, President Anjuman Sufia Noorbaksh Leh Town and Ghulam Hussain Gullu, Spokesperson.
Turtuk residents belonging to “Sufia Noorbakh” a sect of Sufism, purely believe in the teachings of Hazrat Shah-i-Hamdan and are mainly inhabited in villages of Baltistan, which is presently under Pakistani occupation while a few number of followers of this sect are inhabited in Nobra of Leh District.
They said that after granting UT status to Ladakh, their community leaders had met various religious organizations of Leh including LAHDC Chairman, Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to put forward their demands which need to be taken care of by the new UT administration.
They demanded protection and preservation of their unique Balti culture, considering their unique identity. They also demands strengthening of administrative set up of Turtuk block, equitable share in all developmental activity in proportion to population and backwardness, reservations in employment opportunity, additional Hill Counsel seat for Balti/ Muslim community of Nubra, nominated Counsel seat for Sufia Noorbakshia community of Nobra, Degree college for Turtuk block, District status for Nubra, operation of Thouse Airport for civil passenger, strengthening of teaching staff in schools of Turtuk, Tyakshi, Bogdang, Partapur and Largyab, upgradation of better health facilities, construction of Turtuk to Hanu road, extension of Central Government schemes for border/LoC areas and protection and preservation of Urdu language and introduction of Boti language in all Muslim habited Government schools.
They also demands creation of Education Zone for Turtuk Block and creation of Culture Centre at Turtuk block.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
