Shutdown in Ladakh to push for talks with govt

AShutdown called by the Leh solar apex personify ( science lab) and Kargil popular confederation (KDA) disrupted normal life in the Union Territory on Tuesday, while people took part in a protest in Leh demanding a commitment from the Centre on the decisions taken in a meeting of Ladakh representatives and a subcommittee of the Union home ministry regarding the constitution safeguards to the region, officials familiar with the matter said.LAB and KDA called for the strike, claiming that the Centre failed to honour the May 22 discussions that covered a proposed democratic structure for Ladakh with legislative, executive and financial powers, along with constitutional safeguards similar to those in Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram through a proposed Article 371K.“When we saw that the decisions from June 22 meeting were not properly reflected in the minutes of the minutes, we refused to sign the document and sought its rectification which never came,” LAB co-chairman, Chering Dorjay Larkuk said. He said that LAB and KDA representatives then held a meeting on June 19 and decided to protest the omissions by the government.HT tried to get a reaction from senior officials in the home ministry and Ladakh administration, but couldn’t get an immediate response.Ladakh bodies have been mounting pressure for statehood and protections under the sixth schedule including protests and meetings after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, that withdrew special status from Jammu & Kashmir, and split the erstwhile state into two UTs — J&K with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one.Shops and businesses were closed in Leh and Kargil regions while traffic movement was by and large normal, the officials said.Leh superintendent of police (SP) Shree Ram said the situation was calm. “There is a gathering of people for which permission was given at Polo Ground. Everything is under control,” he said.A police officer of Kargil said that shops are closed in the district. “However, traffic is plying. The situation is peaceful,” he said.The Bandh call also had its impact in the other rural districts of Ladakh. “There is some impact of the Bandh in Zanskar. The shops are closed for half day,” said Zanskar SP Rigzin Sangdup.The region went into turmoil following the killing of four people during protests on September 24 triggering the region into chaos with the administration imposing curfew and arresting dozens of persons including activist Sonam Wangchuk under NSA. Wangchuk was ultimately released on March 14, after nearly six months of his incarceration.Announcing the bandh on Saturday, Larkuk said they want a reflection of the decisions taken in the home ministry’s minutes of meeting.“We hope for its rectification by the government and the decisions taken in that meeting should be reflected in the minutes of the meeting, particularly control over employees, top bureaucrat’s APAR issue, Article 371 A,G,F was also discussed which was also not properly reflected,” he said. “These tactics of government reflect that their intentions are not right. We have decided that we will not remain silent...,” he added.