SRINAGAR: A day after a high-powered committee of Union home ministry (MHA) invited Ladakhi political parties for a meeting in New Delhi on May 20, the parties said on Friday that they are optimistic and hopeful about the outcome of the meeting, but held out the prospect of an agitation if the meeting does not yield the desired results.
“We are hopeful that all issues related to recruitment, reservations, and domicile will be resolved in the forthcoming meeting,” Asgar Ali Karbalai and Chering Dorjey Lakrook, representatives of the Kargil Democratic Alliance and Leh Apex Body, told reporters at Leh.
They said they expect that talks on main issues — statehood and sixth schedule status for Ladakh — would be discussed in the forthcoming meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by Union minister of state for home, Nityanand Rai. Representatives of Leh Apex Body (LAB), an amalgam of various political outfits of Leh, and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), a grouping of several political bodies of Kargil, are jointly attending it.
On Friday, KDA and LAB representatives met in Leh to discuss strategy for the MHA meeting. After the joint meeting, they addressed a media conference.
Karbalai said if the outcome of the May 20 meeting is positive, the talks would continue. However, he warned that if the meeting fails to come up with positive results, they would launch an agitation. “We are hopeful that keeping the strategic location of Ladakh in mind, the central govt will come up with decisions on statehood and the sixth schedule status for Ladakh,” Karbalai said.
Haji Mohammad Hanifa Jan, MP of Ladakh, who also addressed the conference, urged the central govt to ensure that the meeting yields positive results in maintaining peace in Ladakh. “We should have concrete recommendations after the May 20 meeting,” he said.
The last meeting between the MHA with LAB and KDA was held on January 15. The two political bodies are pressing for a four-point agenda; statehood for Ladakh , sixth schedule status, a dedicated Public Service Commission, and two parliamentary seats for the region. They are also demanding 95% job reservation for Ladakh residents and 5% to those who have attained domicile of the region. They, however, demand that a person living in Ladakh since 1989 must be considered eligible for domicile status.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs, J&K and Ladakh, Ladakh UT has seen many political agitations seeking statehood for Ladakh and sixth schedule status.
Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakhi environmentalist, led several agitations including long fasts to seek “constitutional safeguards on the lines of the sixth schedule to safeguard demography, environment, and the unique culture of Ladakh.”
On January 2, 2023, the MHA established a high-powered committee to address key issues in Ladakh after protests in the UT for the sixth schedule status.
“We are hopeful that all issues related to recruitment, reservations, and domicile will be resolved in the forthcoming meeting,” Asgar Ali Karbalai and Chering Dorjey Lakrook, representatives of the Kargil Democratic Alliance and Leh Apex Body, told reporters at Leh.
They said they expect that talks on main issues — statehood and sixth schedule status for Ladakh — would be discussed in the forthcoming meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by Union minister of state for home, Nityanand Rai. Representatives of Leh Apex Body (LAB), an amalgam of various political outfits of Leh, and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), a grouping of several political bodies of Kargil, are jointly attending it.
On Friday, KDA and LAB representatives met in Leh to discuss strategy for the MHA meeting. After the joint meeting, they addressed a media conference.
Karbalai said if the outcome of the May 20 meeting is positive, the talks would continue. However, he warned that if the meeting fails to come up with positive results, they would launch an agitation. “We are hopeful that keeping the strategic location of Ladakh in mind, the central govt will come up with decisions on statehood and the sixth schedule status for Ladakh,” Karbalai said.
Haji Mohammad Hanifa Jan, MP of Ladakh, who also addressed the conference, urged the central govt to ensure that the meeting yields positive results in maintaining peace in Ladakh. “We should have concrete recommendations after the May 20 meeting,” he said.
The last meeting between the MHA with LAB and KDA was held on January 15. The two political bodies are pressing for a four-point agenda; statehood for Ladakh , sixth schedule status, a dedicated Public Service Commission, and two parliamentary seats for the region. They are also demanding 95% job reservation for Ladakh residents and 5% to those who have attained domicile of the region. They, however, demand that a person living in Ladakh since 1989 must be considered eligible for domicile status.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs, J&K and Ladakh, Ladakh UT has seen many political agitations seeking statehood for Ladakh and sixth schedule status.
Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakhi environmentalist, led several agitations including long fasts to seek “constitutional safeguards on the lines of the sixth schedule to safeguard demography, environment, and the unique culture of Ladakh.”
On January 2, 2023, the MHA established a high-powered committee to address key issues in Ladakh after protests in the UT for the sixth schedule status.
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