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MP from Ladakh in limelight for Lok Sabha speech defending Centre
NEW DELHI A speech in the Lok Sabha, lasting a little over 20 minutes catapulted Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, 34, a lawmaker from Ladakh into the limelight on Tuesday
NEW DELHI A speech in the Lok Sabha, lasting a little over 20 minutes catapulted Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, 34, a lawmaker from Ladakh into the limelight on Tuesday after he put up a spirited defence of the centre’s move to designate Ladakh a union territory (UT), during the debate on the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and the revocation of Article 370 that grants special status to the state.
Jamyang’s speech that came amid loud cheering and thumping of desks by his colleagues won his appreciation, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s; who tweeted: “My young friend, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal who is @MPLadakh delivered an outstanding speech in the Lok Sabha while discussing key bills on J&K. He coherently presents the aspirations of our sisters and brothers from Ladakh. It is a must hear!
Union minister Smriti Irani posed for a photograph with him and then tweeted it out with the comment: “Proud to serve with him in Parliament. This speech is a must watch for every Indian.”
In his speech, delivered in chaste Hindi, Namgyal spoke about the aspirations of the people of Ladkah that have been overlooked over the years because of the provisions of Article 370.
He criticised the Opposition parties for neglecting to meet the demands of the region that comprises two districts -- Kargil and Leh.
“I am very glad that a lot of people referred to Ladakh, Leh and Kargil in their speeches but I want to know that do they really know what Ladakh is? In the last seven decades, Ladakh was not embraced, it was thrown in one corner and there were statements in this House that it was that land where not one speck of grass grows,” he said.
The Congress on Tuesday criticized the move to bifurcate the state and claimed there was resentment in Kargil, which has a higher Muslim population than Leh, but Namgyal rubbished these claims.
“We have struggled for 71 years to make Ladakh a union territory and to be a part of India. The earlier governments gave us no audience and never tried to understand us. Under Kashmir, our development, our political aspiration, our identity, our language – if all of this got lost it is because of Article 370 and the Congress party is responsible for that,” he said.
Supporting the move to scrap the provision Namgyal, said that if Article 370 was implemented only “two families” would lose their jobs but that Kashmir would have a bright future. Though he did not name the families, he was clearly referring to the Abdullahs of the National Conference and the Muftis of the PDP.
Speaking to HT last week, Namgyal stressed that delinking Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir would pave the way for its development.
The MP who graduated from the Jammu University, and was schooled at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh has a long list of demands that includes a new medical college, more schools, expediting the construction of the Zojila Tunnel , and a focus on infrastructure and services in the healthcare and education sectors.
Batting for the abrogation of Article 370, he told HT; “There is potential for setting up solar energy plants, geo-thermal energy plants, creating more jobs through tourism; but all that is hampered because of Article 370. The region also suffered neglect because the policies have largely been Kashmir-centric. Ladakh needs to be freed from Kashmir.”
