J&K leaders flay Centre’s ‘inaction’ on statehood, Sixth Schedule to Ladakh

Jammu and Kashmir-based political parties criticised the BJP-led central government for not granting statehood and Sixth Schedule to the cold desert region of Ladakh where protest demonstrations rocked the region on Wednesday.

Chief Minister of J&K Omar Abdullah said that Ladakh had celebrated the UT status in 2019, but now they feel betrayed.

“Ladakh wasn’t even promised statehood. They celebrated UT status in 2019 and they feel betrayed and angry. Now try to imagine how betrayed and disappointed we in J&K feel when the promise of statehood to J&K remains unfulfilled even though we have gone about demanding it democratically, peacefully and responsibly,” said Omar.

Ladakh has been demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution from the Centre. There have been multiple round of talks between the Ladakh representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs representatives during past three years. While the resolution on domicile and reservation has been achieved, no decision on statehood has been achieved.

Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “It’s time the Government of India undertakes a sincere and thorough appraisal of what has truly changed since 2019.”

Posting a video of protests in Ladakh on her X account, Mufti said that the video was not from the Kashmir Valley, considered the epicentre of unrest, but from the heart of Ladakh, “where angry protesters have set police vehicles and a BJP office on fire. Leh, a region long known for its peaceful and measured protests, is now witnessing a disturbing shift toward violent demonstrations. People seem to have lost patience, feel betrayed, insecure and let down by unfulfilled promises. It is imperative that the government moves beyond day-to-day crisis management and addresses the root causes of this discontent urgently and transparently”.

Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi also questioned the government’s continued silence over the ongoing hunger strike in Ladakh. He said if people have been on hunger strike for days together, why the government has not intervened till now.

Nabi stressed that the demand for statehood is not an act of rebellion but a legitimate constitutional right. “Ignoring peaceful protests only deepens alienation,” he warned, urging the Centre to respond with seriousness and sincerity instead of waiting for the situation to deteriorate further.

Citing reports that the BJP office and a police vehicle were set aflame, and that protests demanding restoration of statehood turned disruptive, Nabi blamed the Union and UT administration for failing to listen to legitimate grievances. He warned that continuous neglect of developmental demands and denial of political rights had created a combustible situation in Ladakh.