The simmering discontent among the people of Ladakh is palpable. Ladakh's representatives have twice met with the Central Government without any fruitful outcomes.
Calls for complete state status and inclusion in the Constitution's Sixth Schedule are among several demands. A shutdown was also called in Ladakh on a Wednesday. Social activist Sonam Wangchuk has now begun a 21-day hunger strike, intensifying the momentum of protests.
Speaking to the media, Wangchuk drew upon a time-honored saying, 'The rituals of Rajput lineage have always prevailed, uphold your promise even at the peril of your life... asserting that the government worships Lord Rama, a paragon who never broke promises, thereby instilling hope that our demands won’t be dismissed lightly,' Wangchuk stated.
Wangchuk's strike began post the fruitless discussions with the Centre. Both Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had recently met with Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Representatives claim despite dialogues, their demands have seen little progression.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs has informed that considerations are ongoing regarding constitutional protections for Ladakh. A high-powered committee led by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, takes the demands of ABL and KDA under advisement.
What are the demands?
ABL and KDA have multiple concerns regarding Ladakh, chief among them being the inclusion of Ladakh into the Sixth Schedule to ensure constitutional safeguards. Alongside, they seek state status for Ladakh.
The rationale is rooted in the prior constitutional protection under Article 370, which has since been dismantled.
Additionally, formations of a Public Service Commission in Ladakh have been demanded to foster employment opportunities for locals, who previously applied for Jammu and Kashmir PSC. They also seek separate Lok Sabha constituencies for Kargil and Leh; presently, Ladakh comprises only one parliamentary seat despite being the largest constituency by area, spanning over 173,000 square kilometers.
Source: aajtak
Will We See Implementation Akin to Article 371?
The Constitution's Part-21, encompassing Articles 369 to 392, is defined as 'Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions.' Article 371 was introduced over time through amendments and catered to states which lagged in development compared to others, preserving tribal cultures and ensuring local employment opportunities.
Source: aajtak
