Leh, 19 April (H.S.): Ahead of their next meeting with high powered committee (HPC) of Union home ministry next month, agitating Ladakhi leadership on Friday claimed that the Union Territory administration is making attempts to sabotage the dialogue.
However, the leaders representing the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) said they are hopeful of a positive outcome of the talks which is necessary for the people of Ladakh and their coming generations.
The LAB and KDA are jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of their four-point agenda including statehood, sixth schedule status, dedicated Public Service Commission (PSC) and two parliamentary seats.
Addressing a press conference after a joint meeting here, Chairman of LAB Tsering Lakruk and Co-Chairman of KDA Asgar Karbalai reposed their faith in the dialogue and expressed confidence of a positive outcome of the talks scheduled for May 20 in Delhi.
“We think that they (central government) are not behaving properly with the Ladakhis. Even though a meeting has been fixed on May 20 after a gap of several months, we are hopeful that all issues related to recruitment, reservations and domicile that we have already conveyed will be finalised and documented,” Karbalai said.
He said they are also hopeful that the main issue of statehood and the sixth scheduled for the region will also be taken up in the upcoming meeting.
However, he said the Ladakh UT administration is trying to implement its own agenda by implementing policies related to industry and solar plants which is “totally unacceptable” to the people of Ladakh.
“There is a clear attempt on the part of UT administration of Ladakh, especially Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal, to sabotage the talks and it is not acceptable to us,” he said and threatened mass agitation against any attempt to undermine the leadership and sabotage the talks.
“Our four-point agenda is linked to the future of Ladakh, its people and the coming generations… We hope the government will not compel us to protest on the streets,” Karbalai said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
