Alliance in Ladakh
Even as the centre has yet to announce the new laws for the preservation of a distinct identity of Ladakh region, the joint leaderships of Leh and Kargil held recent discussions and have decided to jointly fight any move by the BJP government to dilute their identity.
People of Leh and Kargil are equally unhappy with the central decision to make it a union territory without legislature and have decided to press for statehood ahead of talks with the Union Home Ministry.
Kargil Democratic Alliance has also been opposing the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution and has been calling for their restoration.
Former minister and MP Thupstan Chhewang, who was leading the Peoples Movement for Sixth Schedule, said this has happened for the first time in the history of Ladakh when the leaders of Kargil and Leh had such deliberations. He said the meeting was important for the future of Ladakh and the future generation of Ladakh.
Ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, polls in October this year, prominent political leaders, political parties including the BJP and religious monks from the region fearing demographic changes formed the Peoples Movement of Ladakh. They are demanding constitutional safeguards for locals of the region under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
A delegation of the People Movement of Ladakh had met home minister Amit Shah in Delhi. The ministry assured the delegation of conceding the demand after the LAHDC polls following which the Peoples Movement of Ladakh withdrew the poll boycott call.
