Ladakh groups announce June 23 shutdown citing mistrust with Centre

The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance have called for a Ladakh-wide shutdown on June 23, alleging that key decisions taken during talks with the Centre were omitted from official meeting minutes, deepening mistrust over the region’s constitutional and political future

Leh: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Saturday called for a Ladakh-wide shutdown on June 23, accusing the Centre of failing to incorporate key decisions taken during last month’s meeting on the Union Territory’s political and constitutional future in the official minutes.

Addressing a joint press conference here, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay said an MHA-led sub-committee meeting on May 22 discussed a proposed democratic structure for Ladakh with legislative, executive and financial powers, along with constitutional safeguards that could be incorporated into the Constitution through a proposed Article 371K.

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Dorjay said it was also agreed during the meeting that the entire bureaucracy, including the chief secretary, would function under the authority of the executive led by the people of Ladakh.

“Certain decisions were taken during that meeting, but they were not properly reflected in the Minutes of the Meeting,” Dorjay said.

The top leadership of the two agitating groups, at the press conference also attended by Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan, said the omission of key decisions from the official minutes has deepened mistrust and could force them to return to their original demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for the region.

Accusing the Centre of employing “delay tactics”, Dorjay said the government may be assuming that since His Holiness the Dalai Lama is coming to Ladakh, the local population will remain quiet and refrain from any action.

“There are many ways to protest, and such protests do not necessarily have to take place in Leh,” he said while announcing the shutdown across Ladakh on June 23.

However, he said transport services will remain operational in view of the ongoing tourist season.

A major public gathering is also scheduled to be held in Leh on the same day, he said.

The leaders also accused the UT administration of taking decisions in sectors such as land, power, transport and tourism without consulting Ladakh’s leadership, alleging that certain moves were being made “behind closed doors” and were not in the interests of the people.

Dorjay also alleged that attempts were being made to weaken the unity between the LAB and KDA and create divisions within Ladakh society using money and power.

Jan urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the UT administration to reflect the consensus reached during the talks in the official minutes and incorporate it into the promised draft, saying such a move was essential to move Ladakh forward.