Ladakh shuts down as thousands march in biting cold for statehood

A complete shutdown was observed across Ladakh as thousands marched demanding statehood and constitutional protections under the sixth schedule for the Union Territory.

Protests were jointly organised by the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance.

Thousands of men and women marched across the main city of Leh in freezing temperatures, shouting slogans demanding statehood for Ladakh, the implementation of the sixth schedule of the Constitution, and also separate parliament seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

The shutdown was observed despite the Centre's announcement to hold a second round of talks with representatives of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance.

The Centre has already constituted a high-powered committee headed by Minister of State (Home Affairs) Nityanand Rai to address the demands of the people of Ladakh.

The people of Ladakh said they couldn't live under an unending bureaucratic rule in the Union Territory and only a full statehood - where they elect their representatives to govern the region could fulfil their demand.

In December, the Center held its first meeting in Ladakh and asked both the bodies from Leh and Kargil to submit their demands.

Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory after Article 370 was scrapped and the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated and downgraded into two Union Territories in

August 2019.

But within just two years, the people of Leh and Kargil felt politically dispossessed and have jointly risen against the Centre.

Over the last two years, they have held multiple protests demanding statehood and constitutional guarantees to protect their land, jobs, and distinct identity, something they used to enjoy under Article 370.

‘Ladakh, another Tibet’ Sonam Wangchuk was one of the prominent Ladakhis who in 2019 endorsed the BJP’s decision to strip Indian-administered Kashmir of its autonomy and turn Ladakh into a separate union territory.

Wangchuk is an engineer, innovator and climate activist whose life is said to have inspired the 2009 Bollywood blockbuster, 3 Idiots.

Last month, as part of a symbolic protest, Wangchuk slept under the open sky for five nights in minus 25 degrees Celsius (-13 Fahrenheit) temperatures to demand constitutional safeguards for the residents of the sparsely populated region.

Wangchuk is seeking more autonomy for Ladakh as people have apprehensions India could turn Ladakh into another Tibet.

“Tibet has been completely raped of all kinds of minerals and so on,” he told Al Jazeera, referring to the region’s control by China.

Wangchuk says if Ladakh does not get land safeguards, Ladakhis will become a minority in their own land.

Sixth schedule

One of the main demands of the people in Ladakh is their inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of India’s constitution.

The schedule protects areas with tribal and Indigenous populations by extending Article 371 of the constitution, and is effective in four states in India’s northeast.

Ladakh residents say they are also eligible for similar protection since 97 percent of their region is tribal.

“We were very happy that Ladakh will be now managed the way it is,” Wangchuk said, referring to assurances given by the government three years ago.