MHA agrees to talks on Ladakh statehood

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, February 19

After months of protests and deliberations, the Centre has agreed to discuss three major demands raised by leaders of Ladakh, including statehood for the region. The Central Government will also discuss inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and setting up of an exclusive public service commission for the high-altitude region.

Will consider 3 demands on Feb 24

• MHA panel, during a meeting with a Ladakh delegation, also agrees to discuss on Feb 24 UT’s inclusion in Sixth Schedule & an exclusive public service commission for the region
• Ladakh leaders drop demand for new parliamentary seat as next delimitation of LS seats is slated for 2026; call off for the time being plan to go on hunger strike from Tuesday

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), during talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs, agreed to size down its four-point agenda to three by removing the demand for an additional parliamentary seat.

The 14-member delegation met a high-powered committee comprising Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and other senior functionaries in New Delhi on Monday. The Ladakh delegation was represented by seven members each from both groups.

The members dropped for the time being plan to hold a hunger strike to press for their demands. The protest was scheduled from Tuesday.

This comes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections amid indications from local leaders that a deadlock between the Centre and Ladakh groups might hit BJP’s electoral prospects. The sole MP from Ladakh belongs to the saffron party. The Ladakh delegation agreed to form a sub-committee comprising six members — three each from LAB and KDA — to hold further discussions on the three points. The next meeting, which will be attended by members of the sub-committee, has been scheduled on February 24.

LAB member Chering Dorjay Lakrook told The Tribune their demand for an additional parliamentary seat had been shelved as the next delimitation exercise for LS seats was scheduled for 2026. “However, discussions on the other three points will take place with the MHA,” Lakrook said.

In a joint statement, the two groups said: “The meeting decided to discuss threadbare our main demands: Statehood for Ladakh, inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and constitution of an exclusive public service commission for Ladakh on February 24.”

“It was decided to constitute a joint sub-committee for carrying forward the exercise to look into the details of the issues. We have, accordingly, set up a sub-committee with following members: Thupstan Chhewang, Chering Dorjay Lakroor and Nawang Rogzin Jora (representing the LAB) and Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Kargili (KDA). We have conveyed to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla the names of members of the sub-committee,” the statement read.

The sub-committee members will stay put in Delhi till the next round of talks on Saturday. Leaders of Ladakh have been protesting for the past two years in support of their demands. They have held several rounds of talks with the Centre in the past.

The MHA had formed a committee for Ladakh under Rai’s chairmanship with a mandate to discuss the measures needed to be taken to protect the region’s unique culture and language.