Ladakh’s key representatives are set to hold crucial talks with a sub-committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Delhi on October 22, with the primary focus on their long-standing demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. Leh Apex Body (LAB) co-chairman Chering Dorje Lakruk confirmed the development on Sunday, saying that three representatives each from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with Ladakh MP Mohd Haneefa Jan, will attend the meeting.
“We were informed by the Home Ministry that a meeting of the sub-committee is scheduled for October 22, and both LAB and KDA are invited to it. We welcome the decision of the Government of India to invite us and look forward to the positive outcome of the dialogue,” Lakruk told reporters in Leh, as per news agency PTI.
Violence in Leh Sparks Judicial Inquiry
The upcoming talks come weeks after widespread unrest in Leh on September 24, when violent clashes broke out during a shutdown called by the LAB to press its demands. Four people were killed and several others injured as protesters clashed with security forces. Over 50 individuals were detained for alleged rioting, while prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, who spearheaded the agitation, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA).
Following the violence, the Centre announced a judicial inquiry into the incident, a move welcomed by local groups. The probe will be led by Justice B S Chauhan, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, with retired district and sessions judge Mohan Singh Parihar as judicial secretary and IAS officer Tushar Anand as administrative secretary.
‘Include a Ladakhi in Probe Team,’ Says LAB
While welcoming the inquiry, the LAB expressed dissatisfaction over the composition of the commission.
“We welcome the MHA’s notification for a judicial inquiry. But we saw some shortcomings like the reference which is FIR No:144. It looks that the inquiry is against our boys and secondly, none of the three is from Ladakh,” Lakruk said.
“We want this inquiry to be completely transparent and no attempt should be made to hide anything. We want someone from Ladakh to be made part of the team.”
Lakruk added that including a Ladakhi member was “necessary to ensure public confidence” in the commission’s work.
The LAB has also criticised the Lieutenant Governor-led administration for preventing a silent march in Leh earlier this week, calling the restrictions “undemocratic and unlawful.”
“This shows that the administration is very scared. And I think that when the administration is scared of its own people, there must be something wrong… we could only manage a symbolic march without participation of the people,” Lakruk said, adding that assurances were given that the protest would remain peaceful.
He further stated that peaceful agitation is a constitutional right, questioning whether Ladakhis would be “deprived of it forever.”
“If the administration thinks that by threatening people, it will end the movement of the people of Ladakh for statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, they are mistaken. Neither the people of Ladakh nor their leaders will be scared. We will not come under any pressure to talk,” he said.
Lakruk also criticised the administration for “trying to defame” Ladakh by portraying it as influenced by external forces.
Blackout Observed Across Ladakh
As part of their ongoing agitation, a symbolic blackout was observed across the Union Territory on Saturday evening. Residents switched off their lights from 6 pm onwards following a joint call by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance to mark their protest.
When asked about reports of being placed under house arrest, Lakruk said a barricade had been set up outside his residence and heavy police deployment was seen in the area.
“I got a call from the DGP that I should not go out. I asked him whether I had been house arrested. He did not say anything. I told people that I am not allowed to go out. After two hours, a police officer came to me and said that there is no such thing as house arrest and accordingly, I came out of the house,” he said, as per PTI.
With the talks scheduled for October 22, Ladakh’s leadership now looks to the Centre for concrete steps towards addressing their demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards — issues that have fuelled months of unrest across the region.
