Arteev Sharma
Jammu: All eyes in Ladakh are set on the scheduled talks between the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA)-constituted High-Powered Committee (HPC) and Ladakhi representatives in New Delhi tomorrow, with stakeholders hopeful for a breakthrough on the region’s four-point agenda, including constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule and full statehood.
According to the official sources, the meeting between HPC, headed by the Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, and leaders of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) is scheduled to be held in MHA North Block, New Delhi at 5 pm tomorrow.
The meeting is expected to be attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Joint Secretary Prashant Lokhande (in charge of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs), Ladakh MP Mohammad Haneefa Jan, and the chairpersons of the Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils—Tashi Gyalson and Dr Mohammad Jaffer Akhoon, along with Dr Pawan Kotwal and the advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
Sources said seven members each from LAB and KDA are also most likely to attend the meeting, all of whom have reached the Union capital and joined joint meeting of the LAB and KDA which lasted about two hours at Ladakh Bhawan in New Delhi on Sunday. They had expressed confidence that the Centre would resolve their issues in time-bound manner.
The four-point agenda of two bodies includes Statehood, Sixth Schedule status, dedicated Public Services Commission (PSC) for Ladakh and two Parliamentary seats for Ladakh.
“We are optimistic about tomorrow’s meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi at 5 PM. This is a crucial opportunity for the Government of India and Ladakhi leadership to collaboratively address the four-point agenda that the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance have been pursuing over the past five years. Let us hope for a positive resolution this time,” Sajjad Kargili, senior KDA member said on the eve of talks.
Laying stressing on the urgency of resolution of Ladakh’s issue, the KDA leader said, “Educated unemployed youth of Ladakh are the worst affected due to delay in resolution of Ladakh’s legitimate and genuine issues. There has been no recruitment of Gazetted Officers in Ladakh since it became the UT more than five years ago in absence of a dedicated PSC. The presence of Ladakhi people at gazetted level posts has also reduced to negligible”.
Sonam Wangchuk, engineer-turned education reformer, in his series of posts on ‘X’, said: “ Village After Village…Everyone expresses good wishes for success of 3rd Dec talks between Ladakh and Central government… We have all been waiting for talks between Ladakh’s leaders and Home Ministry to resolve the long-standing issues. Please post messages/ short videos wishing for the success. Please use hashtag #SaveLadakh”.
Nawang Tsondus, first president of Ladakh University, said, “The future of Ladakh talks with @HMOIndia tomorrow. Hope for a positive outcome addressing the 4-point agenda, including Sixth Schedule inclusion for Ladakh’s autonomy and rights. Our aspirations deserve recognition”
Another Ladakhi activist, Tsering Gaphel while posting a number of videos on ‘X’ said, “A collection of heartfelt videos from different parts of Ladakh, featuring people of all age groups, sending their best wishes and expressing hope for positive decisions in favor of Ladakh. As the important talks take place tomorrow in Delhi, the people of Ladakh stand united, praying for a brighter future for the region”.
This will be the tenth round of talks between New Delhi and Ladakh’s leaders since the region became a Union Territory on August 5, 2019. The last such meeting held on March 4, ended in deadlock.
The decision on resuming talks was taken after an MHA invitation on October 21, following a hunger strike for 16 days by Sonam Wangchuk after a march from Ladakh to Delhi, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections.
If sources are to be believed, an agreement on the PSC is on the cards as both sides appeared determined to resolve the issue on the ground that youth are suffering in the absence of the Commission with no recruitment for Gazetted Officers taking place since Ladakh became the Union Territory on August 5, 2019.
Ladakhis have been demanding an exclusive and dedicated PSC for Ladakh. They are even flexible to a PSC like JKPSC. However, they have strongly opposed the idea of Ladakh becoming part of DANIAS (Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu Civil Services).
