NEW DELHI: The central govt brass is of the opinion that Wednesday’s violence in Ladakh was premeditated and deliberate, and not a natural outburst.The violence, which left four people dead, came even as Centre had already scheduled a meeting of the high-powered committee on Oct 6 with the Apex Body, Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to discuss safeguards for Ladakh. In fact, upon receiving a request for preponement of the talks, a round of informal discussions were planned for Sept 25-26. There is a video of ABL co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook announcing at Wangchuk’s hunger-protest site that a delegation was going to Delhi for talks on Sept 26.”If engagement with govt was active, why was the violence still incited,” asked an official.Voicing the fear that Ladakh and its youth may be “paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and personal ambitions of certain activists,” a top central govt officer pointed out how Sonam Wangchuk, who had been observing a ‘fast-unto-death’ to press demands like statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, “has long hinted at wanting an Arab Spring-style protest in Ladakh and also made references to Gen Z protests in Nepal”.”Has he used the hunger-strike platform for his personal issues and to hide certain irregularities that are coming to light now,” asked the officer without elaborating.Not only this, certain netas of Congress – in view of ABL excluding political representatives from the talks with HPC – made statements that almost sounded like instructions – talking of pelting stones on govt offices; threatening action; and pushing youths towards confrontation, bandhs, arson. “Why were they so ready? The entire episode smacks conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains,” said a second officer.Convinced the Ladakhi youth were misled and incited as part of a design, to indulge in violence and arson, Centre reiterated its commitment to keep them engaged and find solutions aimed at their empowerment and welfare.
