On sunday, thousands of Ladakhis marched the streets of Kargil raising slogans against the BJP government while demanding special status for the region.
The protest was organised to demand statehood for the Ladakh region and constitutional reservations under the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
The protests were organized by Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), two distinct bodies operating in the Ladakh region. The two collaborated in August 2021 to supplement their demands.
The most important clause of the 6th Schedule states that indigenous lands must be run as independent districts and nations. It also states that the people of those regions must maintain sovereignty over their land and natural resources, influencing their way of life and culture.
It is an important part of India’s Constitution because it seeks to preserve indigenous people’s identity and traditions.
Their demands are for a Ladakh Public Service Commission, which would establish more gazetted posts for the people of Ladakh, given their opportunities have always been limited due to the lack of such a provision.
The representatives are also advocating for two members of Parliament—one from Kargil and one from Leh. They are also positive that Ladakh will obtain a seat in the Rajya Sabha as well.
According to a report published in Kashmir News Observer, if the meeting with the High Powered Committee on 19 February does not yield results in their favor, the leaders threatened agitation. They said that they would strengthen the protests and call for a hunger strike.
“In case there is nothing positive, we will strengthen protests across the region post-19 February,” the Chairman of the Leh Apex Body is reported to have said.
Thupsten Chewang, the chairman of LAB, maintained that if the results of the meeting with the HPC are positive, it will be welcomed throughout Ladakh.
The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35(A) on August 5, 2019, which granted Jammu and Kashmir a special status, led to widespread protests across the state.
To control the anticipated protests, the government imposed a watershed communication blockade which lasted months.
As many as 700 persons were booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and many ministers were arrested, including former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Ladakh is the first, after a period of calm, to demonstrate a demand for reversion to statehood.