Beyond Himalayas: Ladakh’s cry for justice

Ladakh is tense and this is a bad news for India. This cold desert at the northern end of the country is that the controversial real control line (LAC), which is the informal border between India and China.
Ladakh is surrounded by controversial soils. In the east, there is Aksai Chin allegedly held by Gilgit-Baltistan, which is held by China, but controlled by Pakistan in India and North.

Due to past conflicts with Pakistan and China, Ladakh’s borders are very sensitive. The last thing that India wants to take place here is the internal problem – but that’s what is now.

On September 24, protests against local rights returned to violence in Leh, where an office of BJP was destroyed and set on fire. Later, four protesters were killed while the police fired.

He claims that the police pressure and the protest were supported by Pakistan. As of September 29, curfew and mobile internet ban is still available.

The arrest of a well -known educator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, who won the Ramon Magsay Prize with the police fired, angered the locals.

Sonam Wangchuk is one of the most famous people of Ladakh – because the “Rancho” character in Bollywood was inspired by three stupid hits and is widely known in India.

People are very angry with the authorities and their confidence in the administration fell sharply and told Dorjay Lakruk and Leh Apex Organ (laboratory) assistant condemnation of the Ladakh Buddhist Association.

After violence, police and paramilitary forces attacked dozens of people vandalism and security personnel. According to the support of the protesters, the Bar Association decided to defend all the defendants free of charge and demanded a judicial investigation under the supervision of a peace judgment.

There have been concerns that calling the movement as the ‘anti -national’ and the arrests that do not discriminate with the police force could worse. ”

A sense of betrayal

Ladakh was once a part of Jammu and Kashmir province. In August 2019, the Modi government abolished J & K’s state and special status and divided the two union regions – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. While the unity regions are governed by the central government, there is a difference between the two. Jammu & Kashmir is a union region with a legislative council, so he can have a prime minister like Delhi and Puducherry. However, Ladakh has no assembly and therefore no prime minister. It is directly governed by the central government through a lieutenant governor.

Unlike the rebellion (armed rebellion or violent uprising) and Jammu & Kashmir, who has faced unrest for decades, Ladakh remained peaceful. There are two regions – Kargil with a majority of Buddhist and a majority of Muslims.

The Polish first welcomed the separation of J & K, but then allowed foreigners and large companies to enter and use local resources with the abolition of 370 and 35A articles.

Since 2021, Leh and Kargil leaders have requested a four-point agenda together-the Sixth Program of the Constitution, a Public Service Commission for Local Affairs (PSC) and a parliament seat for Ladakh.

Why is the sixth program important? : The sixth program of the Indian Constitution is interested in the tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. It allows these areas to be managed as autonomous regions. The protection of tribal rights provides local core, cultural protection and control over soil and resources through special councils. These councils can also collect taxes and establish schools, markets and infrastructure, and provide development that respect local traditions.

Without secure businesses, they are afraid that big business companies will capture their territory. The big Solar park projects in Ladakh only increased these concerns.

Ladakh was one of the BJP’s election promises before the 2019 parliamentary polls. This promise helped BJP a clear majority of Ladakh. After that, the National Commission of Program Tribes, an independent organization, also supported the demand for the sixth program status.

The Modi government delayed the problem. In January 2021, Interior Minister Amit Shah told a Ladakh team to remain open to other constitutional guards. Soon, instead of giving the sixth program status directly, BJP has begun to talk about the guards on the “Sixth Program Line”.

As a result, Ladakh has seen repeated protests, including hunger strikes and walks in the last four years.

Anger burst

The latest protests began on September 10, when Wangchuk and seven ancient Indian Army military soldiers started a 35 -day hunger strike to force four demands of 14 people. The protest site saw large crowds.

On September 23, after the 13 -day hunger strike was taken to hospital for health reasons, the congress party warned that the situation would be dangerous if the government did not respond.

The next day, some protesters gathered outside the Ladakh office of BJP and attacked it.

Senior leaders from outside Ladakh blamed the unity government for violence. Most of Ladakh’s leaders did not approve the conflicts and condemned the police actions. Wangchuk fasted to protest against violence and left the seating site (protest).

On September 26, the government arrested Wangchuk, took him out of Ladakh and imprisoned him in Jodhpur. It was reserved in accordance with the National Security Law (NSA).

The CBI launched an investigation against Wangchuk’s institution against Ladakh (HIAL), the Himalayan Institute of Himalaya, and the government canceled the license of receiving foreign funds.

Government leaders and officials underestimate Wangchuk’s hunger strike, saying it was unnecessary. According to them, the issues brought up on the agenda were already discussed in the government’s negotiations with Ladakh representatives.

Although many leading Wangchuk asked many leaders to end a hunger strike, he claimed that he continued and misleaded people by talking about Arab Spring -style protests (public uprisings demanding to end democracy, freedom and corruption in Arab nations) and the gene protests.

Police claimed that the protests led by Wangchuk suspected Pakistani connections. They said that he had recently contacted Wangchuk, a Pakistani citizen who has recently arrested, and sent reports at the border.

The police said that Wangchuk’s participation in an event by “Dawn”, a great Pakistan newspaper to support Pakistani connections allegations.

Sajad Kargili from the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) said, uz These claims are wrong. We condemn the attempt to markemk our peaceful protests about the legitimate demands of administration, politicians and some of the media.

On September 29, Lab (Leh Apex Organ) President ThuPstan Chhewang announced that they would boycott meetings with the Union government until the normality returned to Ladakh. Among their demands include police ignition, withdrawal of lawsuits for protesters and their release. KDA supported the laboratory’s stand.

The central government had planned a speech with a Ladakhi delegation on 6 October, but now it is unclear.

(The author of this article is a defense, aviation and political analyst based on Bengaluru. In addition, Add Engineering components, India, PVT. Ltd, Add Engineering GmbH is a subsidiary of Germany.

(Waiver: The views mentioned above are the author itself and do not reflect that of DNA)