Leh: Hardening its stand following the killing of four protesters during clashes with security forces last week, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Monday, September 29, announced that it will stay away from talks with the High Powered Committee of the Home Ministry till normalcy is restored in Ladakh and a conducive atmosphere is created.
LAB Chairman Thupstan Chhewang made the announcement shortly after the fourth victim of the violence — a former army soldier — was cremated amid tight security in curfew-bound Leh.
The curfew, imposed last Wednesday, was relaxed for two hours at 4 PM in the entire town. There was no untoward incident reported from anywhere, officials said.
“We have unanimously agreed that the situation that is prevailing in Ladakh, keeping that in view, as long as peace is not restored and a conducive atmosphere is not created, we will not participate in any talks,” Chhewang, a former two-time Member of Parliament, said at a press conference here.
“We will urge the Home Ministry, UT administration, and the administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger that is there,” he said.
Widespread violent protests occurred on September 24 during a shutdown called by LAB to advance talks with the Centre on the demands for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
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Four people were killed and scores of others were injured in clashes between protesters and security personnel, while over 50 people were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in rioting. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, the main face of the agitation, was also detained under the stringent NSA.
After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre had on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been spearheading the agitation for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to the Union Territory. The talks were scheduled for October 6.
“After a long struggle of 70 years, the Centre granted Union Territory status to Ladakh without a legislature (in August 2019), but it was not as per our expectations and justice.
“We felt that the safeguards provided to us under Article 370 and Article 35A were eroded along with democracy, prompting us to launch a fresh agitation for our genuine rights,” Chhewang said.
He said the central government initially assured them on the safeguards, and a process of talks continued for five years on their four demands – extension of safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, statehood, separate cadre, job reservation and public service commission, and separate Lok Sabha seats.
“Our struggle was continuing peacefully, but what happened on September 24 was beyond one’s understanding… the CRPF acted like hooligans and used excessive force, killing and injuring our people and creating an atmosphere of fear, grief and anger among the people of Ladakh,” he alleged.
He said that while they were peacefully holding protests, including a hunger strike, the administration used “excessive force,” although the LAB was in touch with the central government and preparing for the talks, notwithstanding the differences over the dates.
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