NEW DELHI: Ladakh Lt governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday defended the administration on recent violence during protests in which four people were killed. He urged the agitating bodies to resume talks with the central government.“The administration has not made the situation worse, nor did we want it to be like this. What led to the violence is a matter of investigation,” the Gupta told PTI Videos.”The central government had invited them (LAB and KDA) for talks and they should have gone for prior consultations… Any issue can be settled only by sitting across the table. Only through talks, things become possible,” he added.Terming the September 24 violence “tragic and unfortunate”, Gupta said, “The administration imposed some restrictions under section 163 of BNSS to improve the situation and ordered the closure of schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.””The restrictions were initially relaxed for four hours on Tuesday and later extended by three more hours. The restrictions were eased from this morning to evening so that the daily routine of the people is not hindered,” he added.He went on to slam leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accusing him of orchestrating framers’ protests and advising him not to “disturb the atmosphere in Ladakh.”“His hand is behind farmers’ agitation and similar other protests. He should concentrate more on his own rather than making any attempt to disturb the atmosphere in Ladakh,” he said.The violence in Ladakh was triggered when two hunger strikers, Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60), were hospitalized in critical condition after a 35-day fast demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. Their collapse sparked youth-led protests, leading to a shutdown and gatherings at Martyrs’ Ground in Leh, which escalated into clashes. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has now been arrested, acknowledged that the hospitalizations served as the flashpoint that disrupted his previously peaceful campaign.
