Omar Abdullah on Friday, in a move which might have come as a shocker to many, reached Ladakh where he received a rousing reception and warm support.
Though the Government at Centre has made immense efforts to wean Ladakhis off Kashmiris’ political campaigns,The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration on Friday, making its first outreach to Kargil, won support from a local coalition of political, religious and social bodies.
The development was equally a setback for Ladakh’s Buddhist alliance, which has been seeking Muslim-majority Kargil’s support in its battle to have the fledgling Union Territory included in the autonomy-granting Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
In this struggle to keep Ladakh off Kashmir’s Politics, Kargil, a Muslim Majority region was heavily ignored and Omar Abdullah’s reaching out to them is a major breakthrough.
“Throughout this time, the Government at Centre has been unsuccessfully trying to convince Kargil that the amendment of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu Kashmir, of which Ladakh was a part, has been good for them and that their future will be safe in the Union Territory of Ladakh.”
Friday’s development suggests that Kargil wants a return to a Jammu Kashmir that is an undivided, full-fledged state with the special status granted by Article 370, the telegraph reported.
Asgar Karbalai, a Congress leader from Kargil, said the local leadership had met the Valley delegation led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah and offered support to its campaign.buy Cozaar generic buy Cozaar generic
“One thing common to the People’s Alliance and the Kargil Alliance is that we are all for restoration of the erstwhile state along with Article 370 and Article 35A. We are not going to back off,” Karbalai told reporters after the meeting.
In Leh, Ladakh Buddhist Association president P.T. Kunzang accused the Kargil leadership of sailing in two boats.
“On the one hand they are with Kashmir and on the other they take all the benefits that come to Ladakh in the shape of Scheduled Tribe status or autonomous councils. They have to decide whether they want to be a part of Kashmir or Ladakh,” Kunzang said.