1 hr ago
Ladakh Groups Announce Padyatra After Talks With Centre Stall
Ladakh leaders met officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs to discuss how the region should be governed.
They said the meeting was friendly but did not produce enough progress.
The leaders want an elected assembly with more power than the bureaucracy.
They also want protections for Ladakh, changes involving elections and money, and more financial authority.
They are asking for cases against protesters to be withdrawn and for compensation to be paid.
They also want the report about violence on September 24 to be released.
Because they are unhappy, they announced a walking protest from September 19 to 24.
Officials have indicated that a government draft may be discussed in October.
The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance announced a September 19-24 padyatra in Ladakh after talks with the Home Ministry made no progress.
The groups said the government had not responded to their governance proposals, including an elected assembly with authority over bureaucracy and law and order.
Their demands also include constitutional safeguards, delimitation, financial powers, withdrawal of cases, compensation and release of an inquiry report.
The groups said they postponed a planned September 10 march for the talks and will wait about a week for assurances before considering a larger agitation.
The Home Ministry indicated that a draft proposal could be discussed in the first week of October, but the groups want the complete draft and restraint from major administrative decisions meanwhile.
- Who
- The Leh Apex Body, the Kargil Democratic Alliance, Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh MP Mohammad Haneefa and other delegation members.
- What
- The Ladakh groups announced a September 19-24 padyatra after saying talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs failed to make sufficient progress.
- Where
- The padyatra will take place in Ladakh; the meeting was with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
- When
- The delegation met the Home Ministry on Wednesday; the padyatra is scheduled for September 19-24, and a draft may be discussed in the first week of October.
- Why
- The groups seek a tailored governance structure, constitutional safeguards, administrative and financial powers, withdrawal of protest-related cases, compensation and accountability for the September 24 violence.
Ladakh Groups' Position
Government Engagement
Progress on governance proposal
Ladakh Groups' Position
The groups say they submitted three drafts and received no government draft, describing the meeting as a repeat of the previous one.
Government Engagement
The Ministry of Home Affairs indicated that a draft proposal could be discussed in the first week of October, and the next meeting was expected to involve a draft.
Administrative decision-making
Ladakh Groups' Position
The groups want the Union Territory administration to refrain from major decisions until the governance issue is settled and say it appears to be moving in a different direction from the Home Ministry.
Government Engagement
Ladakh MP Mohammad Haneefa said the Home Ministry was showing sincerity, while the groups perceived a disconnect between it and the Union Territory administration.
Response to September 24 violence
Ladakh Groups' Position
The groups seek withdrawal of all cases, dignified compensation and publication of the inquiry commission report, arguing that Ladakh protesters received unequal treatment.
Government Engagement
The articles report that the government verbally assured the groups that cases would be withdrawn in phases, but do not provide a detailed government response on compensation or the inquiry report.
Key facts
- Organisations
- Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance
- Padyatra
- Scheduled for September 19-24 in Ladakh
- Governance demand
- An elected assembly with authority over bureaucracy and law and order
- Other demands
- Delimitation, financial powers and constitutional safeguards
- Protest-related demands
- Withdrawal of cases, compensation and release of the inquiry commission report
- Possible next government discussion
- The first week of October
- Earlier planned action
- A September 10 march was postponed for the Home Ministry talks
Quotes
Chering Dorjey Lakruk
Chairman of the Leh Apex Body
“We expected a unique, tailor-made governance model. We had given them the details and drafts, but this meeting was a repeat of the last meeting.”
telegraphindia.com
theprint.in
“While the MHA is showing sincerity, the UT administration seems to be going in another direction. Major decisions are being taken.”
theprint.in
Sources
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