Richa Chadha's Galwan Tweet Controversy Drowns Out Ladakh's Push For Statehood

In less than one month a second resolution has been passed by the democratically elected Hill Council of Ladakh region asking for statehood, extension of the sixth schedule, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil. However, the resolution passed with a thumping majority by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil didn’t get any traction while controversy over the actor Richa Chadha’s Galwan tweet is all over social and mainstream media.

On Friday the LAHDC (Kargil) passed a resolution, considered as first of its kind, seeking statehood for the region, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and Public Service Commission for the region.

The resolution was moved by Er Punchok Tashi, an executive councilor, and seconded by another member Syed Abas Raza. The resolution says that after the re-organization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir there has been greater resentment among the general masses of Ladakh regarding the representation of the public in the government. “It has further given rise to apprehensions among the public with regards to safeguarding of land, jobs, culture, and ecology.”

The resolution says as federalism is an important feature of the Indian democracy and Ladakh should be given full-fledged statehood keeping in view India’s federal structure, strategic importance, and unique geography and culture of the region.

“In view of the revocation of Articles 370, and 35-A, of the Constitution of India, the protections provided by these articles, regarding land, culture, jobs, and ecology is no more there. And hence, it has been unanimously agreed across all strata of Ladakh that only the 6th Schedule can ensure the due protection of the land, jobs, culture, and ecology of Ladakh,” the resolution reads.

At present, the resolution says, there is only one Lok Sabha seat that represents the entire population of Ladakh in the parliament. Before the re-organization of the erstwhile state of J&K, Ladakh had public representatives in the form of four MLAs and two MLCs in the Legislature of the erstwhile state of J&K.  “However, with the re-organization of the state, the only public representative is the sole Member of Parliament. Elections to the Member of Parliament often create a rift between the peaceful Ladakhi populace as it pits the people of Kargil against the people of Leh due to the sole seat of MP. Internal division and rift among the local populace of this strategic location may also prove detrimental to national security. Communal harmony in such a sensitive region becomes of paramount importance, where India faces two warring and belligerent neighbors,”  the resolution reads.

“Therefore, the LAHDC Kargil requests the Government of India for granting two separate seats of Lok Sabha for Ladakh region, one each for Kargil and Leh districts,” the resolution says.

Earlier on November 10, the BJP-led Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh passed two resolutions after daylong deliberations seeking constitutional safeguards.

For the past two years, the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, an amalgam of different political groupings of the region have been seeking statehood for Ladakh, with constitutional safeguards on the lines of the 6th schedule to safeguard the demography, environment, and unique culture of Ladakh. They also seek two Lok Sabha seats for the region, a Rajya Sabha seat, and a filling up of 10,000 to 12,000 vacancies to overcome unemployment in the region. After the abrogation of Article 370 and Ladakh becoming a separate Union Territory, the BJP would argue that the Ladakh region has got its due. But the resolutions passed by the two councils of the UT are in contradiction to the BJP's claim of a "happy Ladakh."

“In contrast to the ambiguous resolution by the LAHDC Leh, the resolution LAHDC-Kargil in favor of statehood, 6th schedule, Separate Lok Sabha Seats and Rajya Sabha seats and PSC for Ladakh was unambiguous,” says social activist Jigmat Paljor lauding the resolution

“The LAHDC Kargil supported the aspirations of the people of Ladakh and also supported the Kargil democratic alliance’s four-point agenda for the future of Ladakh. Leh apex body and Kargil democratic alliance still waiting for dialogue that GoI will redress the emerging grievances of the people of Ladakh,” says Kargil Democratic Alliance leader Sajad Kargili. He adds that it is unfortunate that potent political issues like Friday’s resolution by the LAHDC Kargil are not getting sufficient media attraction in the country.