SRINAGAR: Prominent activist and symbol of protests in Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk has recently said that he will start a 28-day fast on Independence Day if the central government does not invite Ladakh representatives for talks on the demands put forth by them.
In a big development recently, local BJP leaders of Ladakh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the list of demands, including autonomous hill development counsels.
They have also put forth a new demand of four new districts in union territory of Ladakh and an additional battalion of army under Ladakh scouts.
One of the participants from the BJP unit of Ladakh in the meeting with the union home minister said that they have been assured that very soon, steps would be taken to address the concerns of common people, including safeguarding their land and jobs.
The delegation of BJP after the meet said that power to hill development counsels of Leh and Kargil would be enhanced and all the issues raised by them to clip the powers of bureaucracy would be addressed.
Wangchuk has told the media in Ladakh that recently a detailed memorandum of demands was submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Drass on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The memorandum was jointly submitted by Apex Body, Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
The entire leadership of Leh and Kargil are waiting for an invite from the union home ministry for the talks after the submission of a memorandum to the prime minister. The joint leadership of Ladakh has accused the BJP government of withdrawing from its promise to provide tribal area status under the sixth schedule of constitution and full statehood to Ladakh with the legislature.
Wangchuk went for a fast in the month of March for the demand of statehood and tribal area status under the sixth schedule for 21 days.
It is in place to mention that the union government on August 5, 2019 while repealing Article 370, separated Ladakh from the erstwhile state of J&K as a separate union territory without legislature. Now, the joint leadership of Leh and Kargil are demanding statehood with legislature and tribal area status under the sixth schedule. Shah has reportedly ruled out the talks with the local BJP leadership about these two demands but has promised to address the concerns of people and safeguard the environment and ecology of the area.