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KDA leaders warn of protests against ‘unilateral’ notifications, rejects Centre’s governance draft
The talks between the Ladakh leadership and the MHA remained inconclusive as the main demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule have not been accepted
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The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has threatened to launch an agitation and termed the draft proposal exchanged with the KDA and Leh Apex Body by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) as hollow.
The KDA leadership held a press conference today and said that even if 200 constituencies of the Hill Council are created, it is not equivalent to their demands.
The talks between the Ladakh leadership and the MHA remained inconclusive as the main demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule have not been accepted.
Sajjad Kargili, chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, said that on 15 October, a sub-committee meeting was held between the Apex Body, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), and the MHA. “We had expected that the MHA would bring a draft based on the minutes of meeting that had been signed by both sides, and that we would discuss that draft further. We had been promised a sui generis model for Ladakh — a unique model specifically designed for Ladakh. It was also said that this draft would be stronger than the one for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
However, we saw that the draft presented to us had not been prepared with the aspirations of the people of Ladakh in mind at any level. Instead, it had been drafted keeping the aspirations and interests of the union territory administration in view.”
Kargili termed the draft as hollow, one with even fewer powers than a territorial council, and said an attempt was being made to impose it on them. “The Leh Apex Body and the KDA rejected it. After that, we prepared our own response, incorporating our comments on the draft and identifying the points on which we had objections. We sent our response back to them,” he said, adding that the next meeting with the MHA had been scheduled for 22 October. “It has now been postponed.”
He said the announcement of elections is being made and it appears that the UT administration has no work left other than issuing notices and notifications.
“Decisions are being taken unilaterally and imposed on us. This clearly shows that democracy is being murdered in Ladakh. The UT administration is at the forefront of this assault on democracy and is suppressing the rights of the people of Ladakh.” He said the draft has weakened even the existing LAHDC Act and reduced it to something inferior to a panchayat. “The draft is being imposed on us.”
Kargili said the LG says that 100 constituencies have been created in Ladakh. “Even if 200 constituencies were created instead of 100, they would be useless if they had no powers.”
Co-chairman and MP Haneefa Jan said that they are witnessing how democracy is being strangled throughout the country. “Across India, allegations have been made against Gyanesh Kumar concerning the alleged theft of votes belonging to more than 100 million people. Ladakh has been turned into a testing laboratory. Here, representation itself has been stolen. While allegations elsewhere concern the theft of votes, in Ladakh, the entire representation of the people has been taken away. This process has not stopped; it is still continuing,” he said, adding that their lands are under attack. “Our future is under attack. Our future is being put at stake.”
He said the Kargil Democratic Alliance is not prepared to accept any such arrangement. “Our struggle has become stronger, and it will continue. We will continue to pursue our demands.”
Co-chairman, KDA, Asgar Ali Karbalai said that for the last six years, the KDA and the Apex Body have been holding discussions with the MHA on a four-point agenda. “Two of the four points are particularly important to us. We have been talking about democratic rights in the form of statehood and constitutional safeguards in the form of the Sixth Schedule. Over the past one and a half years, several meetings have taken place at the high-powered committee and sub-committee levels on these two issues.
First, it was unanimously decided that the ultimate goal, ultimate aspiration and ultimate demand of the people of Ladakh is statehood. This will remain our goal, and we will all work together to achieve it.”
