People of Ladakh Protest To Turn Region into a State
Ladakh protests for statehood, Sixth Schedule inclusion, jobs, and parliamentary seats, urging Delhi for empowerment.
Ladakh, which transitioned into a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, witnessed significant protests in the Leh district on February 3, 2024. Local residents, under the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), staged a complete shutdown to advocate for four key demands:
1. Granting statehood to Ladakh.
2. Inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
3. Job reservation for locals.
4. Allocation of a parliamentary seat each for Leh and Kargil.
Videos circulating on social media depicted large crowds carrying placards and raising slogans. The LAB and KDA, which initiated the shutdown, had submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Ministry on January 23, 2024, outlining their concerns. Haji Ghulam Mustafa, the legal adviser of LAB and KDA, emphasized the diminishing people-centric powers since Ladakh became a Union Territory. He highlighted the absence of representation in the legislative assembly, a significant change from the prior status as part of Jammu and Kashmir.
The memorandum drew parallels with states like Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya, which secured statehood while being protected under the Sixth Schedule and Article 371 of the Constitution. The demand for Sixth Schedule status aims to safeguard Ladakh's tribal culture, given its substantial tribal population. Additionally, the memorandum called for a Ladakh Public Service Commission to address the limited job opportunities for locals.
Notably, the draft bill proposed amendments to The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, advocating for two MPs from Ladakh—one each from Leh and Kargil—and expressing hope for a seat in the Rajya Sabha. Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent engineer and education reformist, underscored the Centre's silence on promises made to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule post-Article 370 abrogation. He reiterated the region's commitment to constitutional rights, emphasizing that the shutdown on February 3 aimed to convey Ladakh's demand for empowerment to the authorities in Delhi.
