Kargil residents protest, demand rotational HQ

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 11

Residents of Kargil on Monday held protests in Kargil and Jammu, demanding rotational divisional headquarters for the newly formed Ladakh division. Kargil district also observed a shutdown on Monday.

Hundreds of Kargil residents, including prominent leaders, students and women, took out a march in Jammu and raised slogans to protest the setting up of the headquarters of the Ladakh division in Leh. They demanded an equal share in the Ladakh division.

The protesters assembled at Karbala complex on Wazarat Road in Jammu on Monday morning and took out a rally, which concluded at Dogra Chowk. Cutting across party lines, Kargil leaders addressed a gathering at Dogra Chowk.

Protesters demanded rotational headquarters — six months in Leh and six months in Kargil — on the pattern of the Durbar move.

“Why is Kargil being ignored? We want an equal share in the division and nothing less than the rotational headquarters will be acceptable to us,” said Asgar Ali Karbalai, former Kargil MLA. “The protest will continue till our genuine demand is fulfilled,” he said.

Chairman, Legislative Council, Haji Inayat Ali, Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Feroz Khan, former MLA Asgar Ali Karbalai, National Conference leader Qamar Ali Akhoon and former MP Hassan Khan also took part in the protest march.

“The decision was taken under a conspiracy to disturb the communal harmony of the Ladakh region. We will not tolerate injustice with Kargil and will fight for our rights,” said Qamar Ali Akhoon, NC leader.

The elected leaders of Kargil in the panchayats, municipal committees and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council have threatened to resign en masse if the government does not modify its order.

The creation of the Ladakh division has caused resentment in other regions of the state such as Pir Panjal and the Chenab valley, where leaders have threatened to launch an agitation if similar administrative units for their regions were not created.