Mehbooba flays governor over divisional status to Ladakh

Srinagar: Even as the Governor’s administration is mulling to make Ladakh a separate division within Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti held a media conference here on Friday and accused the Governor of acting at the behest of the Central government and pushing Kashmir and other regions of the state to the path of agitation. In the recent past, Leh and Kargil have been demanding a separate division for the hilly regions as presently they are a part of the Kashmir division. Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Kargil has recently passed resolutions and held protests urging Governor Satya Pal Malik for setting up divisional headquarters for the region in Kargil and also a separate university.

While Leh is already pressing for Union Territory status for the Ladakh region, they are not happy with the demand of Kargil for the divisional status.

Sensing trouble, CEC of Kargil Council, Feroz Ahmad Khan told The Sunday Guardian that he is hopeful that the present Governor will accord Ladakh divisional status. Talking about a possible tussle between Leh and Kargil, he said there could be the “Darbar move” from Kargil to Leh for six months each.

Khan said that he has also held a detailed discussion with the Governor for establishing of a Central university at Kargil for the Ladakh region. He said that he has convinced the Governor that Kargil is a centrally located district and has healthy enrollment ratio of students at the offsite campus. It also has a degree college and many higher secondary schools as compared to Leh.