Ladakh: After LAB cancels meet with Centre, MHA says ‘open for dialogues’ any time

NEW DELHI: Hours after Leh Apex Body pulled out from talks with Centre, ministry of home affairs on Monday said that it is “open for dialogues” at any time.In a statement, MHA said that the dialogue with Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance through High Powered Committee has yielded “good results” in the past. It pointed out at the decision to increase reservations to the Scheduled Tribes of Ladakh and providing women’s reservations in LAHDCs.”The government has always been open for dialogues on Ladakh matters with the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) at any time. We would continue to welcome discussions with ABL and KDA through the HPC on Ladakh or any other suitable platform,” MHA said.”The dialogue mechanism established with Apex Body Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) through the High Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh has yielded good results to date in the form of increased reservations to the Scheduled Tribes of Ladakh, providing women’s reservations in LAHDCs and protection to local languages. The process of recruitment for 1800 posts in government has already commenced in UT of Ladakh. We are confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in the near future.” it added.Earlier in the day, Leh Apex Body said that that talks with Centre will remain cancelled until normalcy is restored in Ladakh. Chairman of Leh Apex Body Thupstan Chhewang urged the home ministry and Union Territory administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger in Ladakh. “We have unanimously agreed that the situation that is prevailing in Ladakh, keeping that in view, as long as peace is not restored in Ladakh, we will not participate in any talks,” Chhewang said.”We will urge the home ministry, UT administration, and the administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger that is there,” he added.Meanwhile, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) demanded the immediate and unconditional release of activist Sonam Wangchuk and others detained after violence in Leh, warning the Centre that its failure to meet Ladakh statehood and other core demands is “alienating” the people in the Himalayan region.The KDA, which along with the Leh Apex Body is spearheading the agitation for statehood to Ladakh and other constitutional protections, held the Union Territory administration directly responsible for the violence in Leh that left four people dead and dozens of others, including security personnel, injured.Days after violent protests which claimed four lives, Leh Apex Body on Monday said that talks with Centre will remain cancelled until normalcy is restored in Ladakh. Chairman of Leh Apex Body Thupstan Chhewang urged the home ministry and Union Territory administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger in Ladakh.Addressing a press conference here, KDA member Sajjad Kargili called for the unconditional release of Wangchuk, who was taken in custody under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in a Jodhpur jail, and other youth leaders detained in Leh.He stressed that the demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule are “not negotiable.”Wangchuk is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan after he was detained under the stringent National Security Act for allegedly inciting the violence in Leh with his speeches.Wangchuk’s arrest comes amid chaos over the recent protests in Leh. The protests turned violent in Leh on September 24, following which the BJP office in the area was set on fire.