Ladakh Talks Hit Roadblock, MHA Says Govt Open For Dialogue

SRINAGAR: The Centre on Monday reiterated that it remains open to dialogue with Ladakh’s Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), despite the collapse of talks with the High-Powered Committee (HPC) following fresh unrest in Leh town over the demand for Statehood and inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

A government spokesperson in New Delhi said discussions through the HPC mechanism had already brought results, including increased reservation for Scheduled Tribes, women’s reservation in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), and protection of local languages. The process of filling 1,800 government posts in the Union Territory has also been initiated. “We are confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in the near future,” the spokesperson said.

However, the Apex Body Leh announced its withdrawal from the next round of talks scheduled on October 6, citing an absence of normalcy in Leh town. Deputy chairman of the body, Chering Dorjay, told reporters that continuing talks under the prevailing situation was not possible. The decision came against the backdrop of protests that turned violent on September 24, leading to police firing, the death of four civilians, and injuries to nearly 80 others.

The protests followed a three-week-long hunger strike by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) and shifted to Jodhpur jail. The government accused him of making provocative speeches that led to attacks on security personnel, arson at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Leh office, and damage to several government buildings, including the LAHDC secretariat. His detention has been widely condemned by local, political, and religious organisations.

The Ladakh Apex Body, while suspending talks, demanded a judicial inquiry into the police firing and violence. “Several people have been arrested and implicated in false cases. The protests are being portrayed as anti-national, which is uncalled for,” said LAB member Mohammad Ramzan. Another member, Glen Phunchok, claimed firing was ordered without magistrate approval and called for accountability.

The situation in Leh has remained tense for nearly a week. Shops and business establishments stayed shut, while roads wore a deserted look. Barricades and concertina wires have been erected around key government offices, and educational institutions across Leh district remain closed. Mobile internet services also remain suspended.

On Sunday and Monday, the last rites were performed for the four men killed in the firing. The latest cremations, held under heavy security, were of 20-year-old Rinchen Dadul from Hanu and 46-year-old Tsewang Tharchin, a Ladakh Scouts veteran who fought in the 1999 Kargil War. Earlier, the funerals of 25-year-old Jigmet Dorjay of Kharnakling and 23-year-old Stanzin Namgyal of Igoo were conducted. Only close relatives and a few LAB members were allowed to attend the ceremonies. The Ladakh Buddhist Association has announced plans to erect a memorial in their honour.

Doctors treating the injured said several youths had bullet wounds in the upper body, raising fresh questions over the handling of protests. A 21-year-old woman critically injured during the unrest was shifted to AIIMS, New Delhi, on September 25. Officials said her condition remains stable in the Trauma Centre’s Intensive Care Unit.

Ladakh’s Lieutenant-Governor Kavinder Gupta chaired a high-level security review, directing security agencies to maintain a strict vigil. Meanwhile, the Kargil Democratic Alliance had earlier warned that dialogue was unlikely to progress after Wangchuk’s arrest.

The agitation in Ladakh has centred on four major demands: restoration of Statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule to safeguard land and jobs for locals, increasing parliamentary representation from one to two seats, and establishing a Public Service Commission for transparent recruitments.

The Centre has so far resisted granting Statehood or Sixth Schedule status, with officials pointing to incremental gains through the HPC talks. But protesters argue that the delay has fuelled anger, alienation, and distrust. “What was happening in Kashmir is now happening in Ladakh and Jammu as well,” National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah said in Srinagar. “Even former BJP supporters in Ladakh are facing cases under UAPA and NSA for expressing disagreement.”

Carved into a Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Ladakh has since witnessed a deepening political chasm between local bodies and New Delhi. With negotiations suspended and the streets of Leh under a clampdown, the fragile dialogue process has hit its most serious hurdle yet.