Ladakh: Towards People’s Rule |
They may be less in numbers, just 3.50 lakh, but their resilience to fight for their identity, ethnicity and culture while steadfastly remaining nationalist, is remarkable. This commitment has once again borne fruit with the Centre agreeing to their demands, short of granting statehood and bringing the tribal dominated area under 6th Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard their tribal identity.
There is a breakthrough after talks with representatives of the Apex Body, Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) held in Delhi after a discomforting delay. The leaders have reached “in-principle understanding” with the Centre on “restoring democracy in Ladakh” and providing “Constitutional safeguards on the lines of Article 371 A, F, and G”, following talks with senior Union Home Ministry officials. Incidentally, these are provisions that are applicable in states such as Nagaland, Sikkim, and Mizoram.
The parent UT of Jammu and Kashmir, out of which Ladakh UT was carved out, is also demanding the same, but without any worthwhile public pressure; though their main demand is restoration of statehood. The Ladakhis excelled once again because they stood unitedly. On the contrary Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Jammu stand politically and socially divided, thereby giving a leeway to the Centre to disregard their feelings. An indifferent Jammu and a Kashmir resigned to the fate, is what makes the difference from a cohesive and united Ladakh keeping aside all differences, religious or otherwise. It also........