Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Ladakh and discussed a roadmap for phased relaxation of restrictions, asserting that any easing of measures would be implemented carefully, balancing public safety with resumption of routine socio-economic activities.
Gupta has been holding daily security review meetings since September 24, when Leh town was brought under curfew following widespread violence that left four persons dead and scores of others injured during a bandh called by groups agitating for statehood and extension of Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh.
The curfew was almost lifted in the town four days back, but prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more persons remain in force.
While schools up to Class 8 were reopened on October 3, the rest of the educational institutions are closed. Mobile internet services also remained suspended in Leh town.
The Ladakh administration had ordered a magisterial probe into the violence, but Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB) have decided to stay away from talks with the Centre scheduled for October 6 till a judicial inquiry is ordered and all those detained, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, are released.
"We have made it clear to the Ministry of Home Affairs -- a judicial probe should be ordered at least. A magistrate does not have the power to hold the UT administration accountable. We want an impartial judicial enquiry," KDA member Sajjad Kargili told reporters in New Delhi.
He claimed the Union Territory setup in Ladakh has failed, and the "lack of accountability over the firing incident is an example of it".
He was speaking at an event to release a "fact-finding report" on Ladakh by the Socialist Party of India and NGOs National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and Hum Bharat Ke Log.
The report said the four core demands of the movement are not merely political points for negotiation but are essential, non-negotiable pillars for Ladakh's future existence as a distinct cultural and ecological entity.
The inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India is crucial to legally protect its overwhelmingly tribal identity. "Almost 99% of the population is classified as Scheduled Tribe and is conscious about protecting its incredibly fragile, high-altitude ecology from predatory commercial exploitation," the report said.
It said the demand for full statehood for Ladakh is to achieve genuine self-governance and democratic agency.
The report said the demand for Sixth Schedule status is not a new or radical one, and was promised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself.
"The BJP has now, in an act of profound bad faith and political duplicity, brazenly gone back on this solemn promise, leaving the people of Ladakh feeling cheated and abandoned by the very state they are an integral part of," the report claimed.
The BJP, however, insisted that there was no mishandling of the situation and said the central government has fulfilled long-standing demands of the people of Ladakh and ensured fast-paced development of the region over the past six years.
“There was no mishandling of the situation in Ladakh. The BJP government is holding dialogue and consultations with the people of Ladakh, and things will be normal very soon,” BJP’s national general secretary in charge J-K Tarun Chugh told reporters after chairing a core-group meeting of the J-K BJP at party headquarters in Jammu.
He said the Modi government had fulfilled long-standing demands of the people of Ladakh, including granting Union Territory status and increasing the number of districts from two to seven.
“The UT of Ladakh is being developed at par with J-K, which is also moving forward. The projects like connectivity and tourism are going on at a fast pace in both the UTs, while the highest reservation was granted to the Scheduled Tribe community in Ladakh,” Chugh said.
Chairing a high-level security review meeting in Leh to assess the prevailing security scenario in the Union Territory, LG Gupta said his administration is committed to maintaining peace, safety and stability across Ladakh.
“Vigilance and preparedness remain key to addressing any emerging challenges," the LG said, addressing the meeting that was attended by senior officials of the civil administration, heads of security agencies and representatives from the army and central armed police forces.
“The meeting discussed the roadmap for phased relaxation of restrictions,” an official spokesman said, adding the Lt. Governor emphasised that any easing of measures would be implemented carefully, balancing public safety with resumption of routine socio-economic activities.
He also lauded the people of Ladakh for their exemplary restraint and cooperation, stating, “The cooperation and resilience of the people are instrumental in restoring normalcy in the region,” Gupta said, stressing the importance of continued coordination with security agencies to maintain peace, harmony and stability in Ladakh.
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