Reports on Ladakh-Centre talks ‘speculative, negative’: Chief Secretary

Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra on Friday said the government remains committed to a process of “democratic consultation” involving all stakeholders of Ladakh.

His remarks came days after a meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) between the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh leaders in New Delhi, which some Ladakh representatives had described as “inconclusive.”

Addressing concerns over the outcome of the February 4 meeting, Kundra said that “speculative media reports” were giving a “negative slant” to the ongoing discussions in Delhi.

The HPC meeting was attended by members of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two Ladakh-based groups engaged in dialogue with the Centre. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and was attended by senior officials of the Home Ministry.

Kundra described the talks with LAB and KDA as wholesome and constructive, reiterating that “the government is committed to a process of democratic consultation which involves all stakeholders of Ladakh.”

“I would like to appeal to the people of Ladakh and all stakeholders to refrain from speculative rumour-mongering. The intent of the government is to find a resolution to the democratic aspirations of Ladakh in a fair and judicious manner, keeping the long-term interests of the residents in mind,” he added.

Earlier, Leh Apex Body (LAB) co-chairman Cherring Dorjay Lakruk had said after the meeting that the Union government did not appear to be in a “mood” to grant Sixth Schedule status and statehood to Ladakh.

Lakruk stated that the Centre seemed disinclined to accept the two principal demands of the people of Ladakh — inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and restoration of statehood. However, Chief Secretary Kundra maintained that the discussions were constructive and part of an ongoing consultative process.