Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent Ladakhi engineer and innovator, has postponed his planned “fast unto death” protest after the Centre agreed to discuss the various demands of the people of Ladakh, including statehood, constitutional safeguards, and job opportunities.
Wangchuk, who was set to begin his hunger strike from Tuesday, said he will review his decision next week, depending on the outcome of the talks with the Centre. He said he will call a large public gathering in Leh on February 26 to either thank the government for meeting the demands or resume his protest in case the talks fail.
The Ladakh leadership, comprising representatives of the Apex Body of Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), is currently in Delhi for a fresh round of talks with the High Powered Committee (HPC) for Ladakh, headed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.
The HPC, which was formed in December 2020 to address the issues of the Union Territory, has agreed to discuss the demands for Ladakh’s statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and the setting up of an exclusive public service commission for the region. The HPC and the Ladakh delegation have also decided to form a joint sub-committee to look into the details of the demands.
The Ladakh delegation has expressed satisfaction over the development and termed it as a significant step towards resolving the long-pending issues of the region.
The demands of the people of Ladakh stem from the fear of losing their land, culture, and identity after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories in August 2019. Ladakh, which has no legislative assembly, has been seeking constitutional safeguards to protect the rights and interests of its indigenous population.
Wangchuk, who is a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, has been a vocal supporter of the demands and has mobilised public opinion in favour of them. He has also urged the Centre to expedite the process of granting tribal status to the people of Ladakh, which was announced by the Home Ministry in 2019.
Among the other demands of the Ladakh delegation are two Lok Sabha seats – one for Kargil and one for Leh – and reservation for locals in government jobs and educational institutions. Ladakh currently has one Lok Sabha seat and no representation in the Rajya Sabha.
