No poll boycott, Ladakh group after meeting Amit Shah

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27

With a positive assurance from the Centre to consider its demands for the protection of local language, jobs, land and demography, an influential Ladakh group, the People’s Movement for Constitutional Safeguard Under Sixth Schedule for Ladakh, today announced the withdrawal of its call to boycott the autonomous hill council poll in Leh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had yesterday met a delegation of the group and assured it that the Union government was committed to empowering the LAHDC of Leh and Kargil and would protect the interests of the people of the newly-carved union territory. Shah also said that the Centre would explore all avenues towards this objective, including those under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Support promised

The delegation has agreed to withdraw its call for the boycott of the coming LAHDC, Leh elections and promised its wholesome support for the smooth conduct of these election. —The statement

In a joint statement, former Ladakh MPs Thiksay Rinpoche and Thupstan Chhewang, former Minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir Chhering Dorje and Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and G Kishan Reddy said the delegation was assured that all issues related to language, demography, ethnicity, land and jobs would be considered positively considered and taken care of.

“A dialogue between a larger Ladakhi delegation comprising representatives of Leh and Kargil districts under the aegis of Peoples Movement for Constitutional Safeguard Under Sixth Schedule for Ladakh and Union Home Ministry would commence after 15 days of the culmination of the LAHDC, Leh elections,” the statement read.

“Any decision so reached in this connection would be in consultation with the representatives from Leh and Kargil,” it added. The statement said the Centre was open to discuss the protection of Ladakh’s language, demography, ethnicity, land and jobs under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and other provisions while looking into issues related to Ladakhi people. “The delegation has agreed to withdraw its call for the boycott of the coming LAHDC, Leh elections and promised its wholesome support for the smooth conduct of these elections,” it said.

Election on October 16

The LAHDC Leh is scheduled to go to the polls on October 16, the first such exercise in the region after Ladakh was carved out of Jammu and Kashmir and granted the union territory status on August 5 last year following the abrogation of the special status to the erstwhile state.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.