Thousands of protesters demanding statehood in the bitter cold cause a full shutdown in Ladakh
GG News Bureau
Ladakh, 4th Feb. Thousands of people protested for statehood and constitutional protections under the Union Territory’s sixth schedule on Saturday, causing a massive shutdown in Ladakh.
A massive gathering of people was seen carrying placards that spelled out their demands and yelling slogans in a video that the news agency ANI released.
#WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: Thousands brave the freezing cold as they march demanding statehood for Ladakh and protections under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution for the Union Territory. (03.02) pic.twitter.com/gwsiGZBxXc
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2024
Four demands were made by the protestors: Ladakh should become a state; Ladakh should be added to the Constitution’s sixth schedule, which gives it tribal status; Leh and Kargil should each have one parliamentary seat; and locals should be given preference for employment.
According to reports, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Leh Apex Body (LAB) coordinated the protests, which saw both sexes marching through Leh’s main city in spite of the bitterly cold weather.
The two regions’ representatives, the LAB and KDA, have been pushing for statehood and Sixth Schedule status ever since Ladakh was made a Union Territory. The KDA and LAB came together in August 2021 to make their demands known.
Haji Ghulam Mustafa, the legal adviser for the Kargil Democratic Alliance and the Leh Apex Body, stated that Ladakh ought to be represented in the assembly and called for statehood.
“Apex body and KDA have demanded the four-point agenda ever since Ladakh became a UT. All of our people-focused powers have diminished. There were two members of the legislative council and four members of the assembly when we were a part of J&K. We are currently unrepresented in the assembly,” Mustafa was reported by ANI to have said.
#WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: Thousands brave the freezing cold as they march demanding statehood for Ladakh and protections under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution for the Union Territory. (03.02) pic.twitter.com/gwsiGZBxXc
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2024
“We have consistently demanded statehood and representation for the people of Ladakh in the assembly.” The reason is that Ladakh is a highly significant location from a strategic standpoint,” he continued.
“There haven’t been any gazetted job openings in Ladakh since the area became a UT; however, in J&K, two batches have already been commissioned, and a third batch is about to be commissioned. Ladakh must establish its own Public Service Commission right away. People have noticed a total “bandh.” This indicates to us that the people of Ladakh want more authority for the area,” he continued. After Articles 370 and 35A were repealed, Ladakh was made into a Union Territory without a legislature. The Central government divided the region into two Union territories on August 5, 2019, and announced that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 would be revoked.
Comments are closed.