On Wednesday, the political leaders in Ladakh said that the last year’s August 05 decision is still bothering the people and council without legislature is meaningless while people are highly worried about security after the maiden poll boycott call by combined parties.
According to them, the central government created a separate union territory from the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir, but failed to give the legislative powers to the council and constitutional safeguard to the region leaving people in a deep distress and the decision was taken without the consent of the people residing in the state.
The political leaders believe that the last year’s August 05 decision was taken without the consent of people and the central government created a separate union territory from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir but failed to give the legislative powers to the council and constitutional safeguard to the region leaving people in a deep distress.
Talking to news agency – Kashmir news observer (KNO), Former Minister and Ex – BJP Chief of Ladakh, Chering Dorjey, who is also part of the apex body said, “Last year’s August 05 decision still haunts the people of the region and we demand for 6th schedule of the matter. It is a serious concern for the people of Ladakh”.
“If the government doesn’t give constitutional safeguard under the 6th schedule to the entire region then there is no fun of making it as a separate union territory and people must be given constitutional security and safeguard the right of the people, only because without that the UT status is meaningless”, Dorjey said.
“All political and religious parties, student’s bodies and panchs and sarpanchs including the common people support the poll boycott because it marks a history of maiden mass boycotts in the entire region”, he said.
Rigzin Spalbar, region’s senior political leader and former CEC told KNO that the boycott call is important and it sends a clear message, commitment and evolvement because if elections are contested then everything is normal which actually isn’t people are concerned and highly worries about the constitutional safeguard and protection.
The council made under the 6th schedule has both executive and legislative powers and the council without that is meaningless, he said.
“The election boycott won’t favor anyone and it is useless to take part in the electoral process even the nominations won’t be filed”, he said. “No one can run Ladakh on a remote control device and congress is against the division (Bifurcation) but leaders here have demanded it for so long now including the BJP since all belong to this region only and are tribals of this land and are ladakhis”, he said.
The former CEC said that when it finally comes to survival and existence people very well know what to do.
Rinchen Namgyal, official spokesman for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), told KNO that the poll boycott decision is important and is in the larger interest of ladakh and our council is without a legislator in this condition we have to jointly demand for the constitutional safeguard under 6th schedule.
He said I still fail to understand as to why the people of Jammu Kashmir accept the new domicile law.
“People in Ladakh demanded union territory status for the last three decades but with full legislator powers and proper security to it” he said. “No one knew about the last year august 05 decision and the government did not consult anyone that time especially Jammu Kashmir shouldn’t have accepted the new domicile law and ladakh in no way is in a condition to accept it”.
In absence of constitutional safeguard the entire region will immensely and ladakh is a victim of negligence of government and there seems no plan from the government to elevate the region as a state or a UT with a full-fledged legislator, Rinchen Namgyal said.
The spokesman said that insecurity and concern is among the people and the LADHC poll boycott won’t favor a particular part.