‘Will march on foot to Delhi from September 1 to seek restoration of statehood’
Arjumand Shah
Srinagar, Aug 26 (KINS): With the Centre announcing the creation of five new districts in Ladakh, leaders of the Union Territory stated that their primary demand is the restoration of statehood. They have announced plans to begin a march on foot from Leh to Delhi starting September 1 to press for their demands.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday informed that the Centre has decided to create five new districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh. He said the new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—will bring benefits directly to the people by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny.
Amit Shah in a post said, “In pursuit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh, the Union Home Ministry has decided to create the five new districts”.
The home minister said the Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh.
Former MP T. Namgyal, social activist Sonam Wangchuk, and the Leh BJP unit have welcomed the announcement of five new districts in Ladakh by Home Minister Amit Shah.
They expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah on behalf of the people of Ladakh, noting that this was a long-standing demand. They also recalled that the promise was made to the people in 2019 and thanked both leaders for fulfilling it.
However other, leaders in Ladakh seem unimpressed by the Centre’s decision.
Senior Ladakh leader and former minister Chering Dorjey said that the creation of new districts may be a welcome step but it has not been our demand. We want the restoration of statehood and the implementation of the 6th Schedule in the Union Territory,” he told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) over phone.
He said that they have already announced a march on foot from Leh to Delhi starting September 1 to press for their demands.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has announced the march, aiming to urge the Government of India to resume talks with Ladakh leadership regarding their four major demands.
The demands include the granting of full statehood with an assembly, 6th Schedule status, the establishment of a public service commission for recruitment, and the creation of an additional parliamentary seat. Ladakh was part of Jammu and Kashmir until August 5, 2019, when it was granted Union Territory status by the BJP-led government following the abrogation of Article 370.
Prior to this, Ladakh’s two districts, Kargil and Leh, would elect four legislators to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, and its political leaders would also be nominated to the now-abolished legislative council.
As a Union Territory, which was a long-standing demand of the people of Leh, Ladakh is currently administered by a Lieutenant Governor and his advisors. It will not have any voting rights until statehood is granted to the strategic region. However, voters in the UT have elected a lone member of parliament, even as there is a demand for the creation of an additional MP seat.
Jammu and Kashmir are slated for three-phase assembly elections beginning September 18. These will be the first assembly elections in the UT following the abrogation of Article 370. The last assembly elections were held in 2014 in the erstwhile state. (KINS)
