Leh: Two prominent leaders on Sunday resigned from the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) is engaged in talks with the Centre over its four-point agenda, including statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
LAB Chairman Thupstan Chhewang and senior Congress leader Nawang Rigzin Jora separately announced their resignation, with the latter clarifying that while he is stepping back personally, his party will continue to remain a part of the grouping.
“Since stepping away from electoral politics, I have consistently distanced myself from partisan and individual agendas. In keeping with this stance. I hereby resign as Chairman and member of the (Leh) Apex Body, as well as from the High Powered Committee (HPC).
“I prefer not to be entangled in competing interests. I thank all members of the Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance for their wholehearted support during my tenure,” Chhewang, a former member of Parliament who quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2018, said in a press release.
In his letter addressed to the LAB chairman, Jora said he is withdrawing himself from the sub-committee that is scheduled to attend meetings with home ministry officials in the coming days and from the HPC as well.
“Congress party, however, shall continue to be part of the Apex Body and support every effort towards achieving our avowed objective (Sixth Schedule and statehood) and criticise the ones that go against it,” Jora said in his resignation letter.
Besides statehood and Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, the LAB and the KDA were also agitating for reservation in jobs for locals and two parliamentary seats for the region.
On June 3, the BJP-led Centre announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85 per cent jobs for locals and announcing a 33-per cent quota for women in the autonomous hill development councils.
The government has also made English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi official languages of Ladakh, but said English shall continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union Territory for which it was being used before the date of commencement of this regulation.
The announcement came close on the heels of a meeting of the HPC chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in New Delhi on May 27. According to the LAB and KDA leadership, the issues were finalised at the meeting.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had formed the HPC to discuss measures needed to protect the region’s unique culture and language, taking into consideration its geographical location and strategic importance.
In August 2024, the Centre created five new districts in the Union Territory — Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.
