Ladakh violence: LG makes ‘Bangladesh-Nepal’ charge; says attempt was made to burn CRPF personnel

Leh: Ladakh lieutenant governor Kavinder Gupta speaks on violent protests in Leh. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Ladakh lieutenant governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday alleged a conspiracy behind the statehood protest in Leh turning violent, claiming people were being incited by drawing parallels with the youth-led movements in Bangladesh and Nepal that toppled governments there.Also Read | Ladakh violence: 4 dead, 30 injured amid violence; Leh admin bans protests”In a democratic system, protesting is a right. However, it must be done in a peaceful manner. For the past two days, attempts have been made to incite people, and the protest held here was compared to those held in Bangladesh and Nepal. This smells of a conspiracy behind the protest,” Gupta told news agency ANI.

He warned of the potential consequences had the authorities not intervened. “All our policemen were given sticks in their hands. But an attempt was made to burn the CRPF personnel sitting inside their vehicle. What kind of justice is this? Will we let our soldiers die like this? Some people also threw stones at the vehicle of the DGP,” he said.Gupta also said a probe would be launched into the role of those involved in the demonstrations. “Who is responsible for the people who have died today? It is those people who incited the protest. Such things cannot be tolerated. I want to ensure peace is maintained in Ladakh,” he added.Residents of Ladakh have been demanding inclusion of the Union territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the administration of tribal areas in the northeast. Separately, calls for statehood for both Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir have persisted since the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state was split into the Union territories of J&K and Ladakh.Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike leading the protest, called off his fast after the outbreak of violence.