Massive protest in Leh, shutdown in Kargil over statehood demand

Naseer Ganai

Srinagar, February 3

Leh witnessed a massive protest against the government in support of several demands, including statehood for Ladakh. In Drass of Kargil district, shops and other business establishments were shut in support of the protesters. Leh protesters were carrying banners that read, “Kargil, Leh demand full-fledged statehood, implementation of the Sixth Schedule and early recruitment”.

The protest in Leh and the shutdown in Kargil were called by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), a coalition of political and religious groups in Kargil, and the Leh Apex Body (LAB), representing similar alliances in Leh, in support of their four demands.

Other demands

The demands of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance include statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, establishment of a Public Service Commission and early commencement of job recruitment besides ensuring separate parliamentary representation for Leh and Kargil.

‘Govt should concede’

Sajjad Hussain Kargili, leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, urges the government to accept the demands of the people of Ladakh without delay.

Their demands include statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, establishment of a public service commission and early commencement of job recruitment besides ensuring separate parliamentary representation for Leh and Kargil.

Sajjad Hussain Kargili, a prominent member of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, urged the government to accept the demands of the people without delay. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he stated, “People observed a complete shutdown in solidarity with the demand for statehood, Sixth Schedule, establishment of a public service commission and employment opportunities for Ladakh.”

The Leh Apex Body as well as the Kargil Democratic Alliance had last week jointly submitted a document to the Union Home Ministry, asking for a status similar to that of Sikkim for the UT.

Both the groups said they had a detailed meeting with a panel of the Ministry of Home Affairs under the chairmanship of Nityanand Rai on December 4 during which they were asked to submit their demands to the ministry for talks. “Given its history, strategic importance, environmental significance, similarity with other states in the northeast and various other parameters, Ladakh deserves to be turned into a state. Doing so will not only enhance the political representation and empower the local residents but shall also help them manifest their aspirations within the democratic framework to foster a sense of belonging and participation in the nation-building process,” the joint document of the groups read.

In 2021, two years after the abrogation of Article 370, Leh, which had initially welcomed the abrogation of Article 370 unlike Kargil, witnessed a shift in its political landscape with the establishment of the Leh Apex Body which demanded constitutional safeguards. The Leh Apex Body initially started its campaign for constitutional protection for the people and the environment of the region and called for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Later, they began seeking full-fledged statehood for Ladakh. Kargil has been opposing the abrogation of Article 370 since August 5, 2019. Massive protests were seen in Kargil against the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories.

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