Leh Apex Body pulls out of talks with govt, wants judicial probe into killings

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Monday announced suspension of talks with the Centre until their fresh demands, including a judicial probe into the September 24 violence that left four persons dead and withdrawal of cases against arrested youth, were met.

After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Home Ministry had on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been spearheading the agitation for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. The talks were scheduled for October 6.

Representatives from Ladakh, comprising LAB and KDA members, were expected to hold a preparatory meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday ahead of the October 6 talks with a high-powered committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Addressing the media here, LAB Chairman Thupstan Chhewang said they would stay away from the talks till “normalcy was restored in Ladakh and a conducive atmosphere was created”. “We have unanimously decided that considering the present environment, we will not participate in any discussion with the Centre. We expect the Home Ministry as well as the UT and district administration to take steps to counter the atmosphere of terror and anguish that has spread here. For talks, peace must be restored and a favourable environment be created,” said Chhewang.

LAB co-convener Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, who too was at the press briefing, when asked if the KDA was on board for suspension of talks, said “both groups were on the same page”. He lashed out at Ladakh L-G Kavinder Gupta and DGP SD Singh Jamwal for linking last week’s protests to Pakistan and foreign involvement, asking them to prove the allegations.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on hunger strike in support of the demands for statehood and the Sixth Schedule status, was detained under the National Security Act on Friday and shifted to Jodhpur jail.

Lakruk demanded a judicial probe into the four deaths. “We have complete proof that the bullets were fired by the CRPF without the magistrate's order. Those arrested by the police in connection with the violence should be released and the cases against them be withdrawn,” he said.

On Wangchuk, Lakruk said “false allegations were levelled against him and he was sent to Rajasthan jail”. “If he was doing anything wrong at the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning, where were government agencies sleeping? We will not tolerate accusations that Wangchuk was anti-national,” he said.