Ladakh Organizations Appeal for Renewed Dialogue on Statehood and Inclusion in 6th Schedule

Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) held a joint meeting on Sunday, expressing hope that the Centre will resume dialogue on their four-point agenda. This agenda includes statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the 6th schedule of the Constitution.

The leaders from both districts of the Union territory stated that their core committee will reconvene if there is no response from the government. LAB and KDA, representing various political, social, and religious organisations, have been advocating for this agenda since the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

Four-Point Agenda

"We had a joint meeting lasting three hours to discuss our four-point agenda, which remains central to future talks with the central government," said LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjey Lakruk. He was accompanied by leaders from both groups, including Ladakh MP Haji Hanifa Jan.

Dorjey emphasised that their demands are separate from the Centre’s plans to strengthen hill councils or create new districts. "We reiterate our four-point demand and consider it as a way forward. We hope the central government will restart the stalled dialogue with Ladakh representatives soon," he added.

Additional Demands

The other two demands include initiating an early recruitment process and establishing a Public Service Commission for Ladakh. They also seek separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

KDA leader Naseer Munshi mentioned the abrupt end to talks with the Centre in March. "We were waiting for the government to restart the stalled dialogue but there was no initiative from there," he said.

"We are peace-loving and believe in resolving our issues through talks. If the government remains adamant, we will go for the agitational path," Munshi added.

Future Actions

Dorjey stated that if the government fails to restart dialogue, they will not hesitate to launch a sustained agitation to support their demands linked to Ladakh’s future. The core committee of LAB and KDA will meet again to decide on future actions.

Ladakh MP Jan said he will continue his efforts to highlight the people's demands within and outside Parliament. "I have already raised the issue with various ministers and members of Parliament," he noted.

Both LAB and KDA remain hopeful that their persistent efforts will lead to meaningful dialogue with the Centre, addressing their long-standing demands for Ladakh's future.