The unified front of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) escalated their demands on Monday by submitting a detailed 29-page draft proposal to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
According to LAB Co-Chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook, the comprehensive proposal outlines their core demands for the region, which include:
- Statehood for Ladakh.
- Inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (providing constitutional safeguards for tribal-majority areas).
- A general amnesty for all people arrested following the violent protests on September 24.
Demand for General Amnesty and Release of Sonam Wangchuk
The demand for amnesty is a key component of the proposal, specifically targeting those detained after the major clashes.
“One of the demands is that all people arrested after September 24, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, be released under general amnesty,” Lakrook stated.
Wangchuk, who has been a prominent leader of the movement, led a 15-day hunger strike that culminated in the September 24 violence. The activist was subsequently booked under the National Security Act (NSA) and is currently incarcerated in Jodhpur jail, with the Centre blaming him for instigating the clashes.
Dialogue and Violence
The joint Ladakh bodies agreed to hold talks with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs officials after the government ordered a judicial probe into the Leh violence, to be conducted by a former Supreme Court judge.
The clashes on September 24 were severe, erupting over the very demands now formalized in the draft proposal. The incident resulted in four deaths and nearly 100 injuries, which included police and paramilitary personnel. Protesters reportedly went on a rampage, vandalizing buildings and setting a BJP office and a police vehicle on fire.