4 killed, 80 injured in Ladakh ‘statehood’ protests

 

 

 

 

 

THE statehood for Ladakh movement descended into violence, arson and street clashes here on Wednesday, leaving four people dead and at least 80 injured, including 40 police personnel, officials said. As the sun set on what is arguably the worst day of violence since 1989 in the cold desert region, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, while authorities clamped curfew in the Leh district. Groups of youths, indulging in arson and vandalism, targeted the headquarters of the BJP and the Hill Council and set ablaze vehicles. Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, the officials said. With at least six of those injured in a critical condition, there are fears the death toll could go up.

 

The Centre alleged that the mob violence was guided by the “provocative statements” of activist Wangchuk, and certain “politically motivated” individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the Government and Ladakhi groups. In a statement, the Union Home Ministry said barring a few unfortunate incidents that happened early on Wednesday, the situation was brought under control by 4 pm and asked everyone not to circulate old and provocative videos in the media and social media.

 

“The Government stands committed to the aspiration of the people of Ladakh by providing adequate constitutional safeguards,” the statement said. The Home Ministry said the hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10, pressing the demand for Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth schedule and statehood. “It is well known that the Government of India has been actively engaged with the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of High Powered Committee (HPC) as well as sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders,” the statement said. “However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC and have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process,” it said. The next meeting of the High Powered Committee has been scheduled on October 6, while meetings are also planned on 25th and 26th September with the leaders from Ladakh.

 

Terming the events as heart-wrenching, Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta said everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened today was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy. “We will not spare those people who have spoiled the atmosphere here.” Violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics, personal gains: Sources: THE violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, but the youth are not to be blamed, Government sources said. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and the personal ambitions of activist Sonam Wangchuk, they claimed. The youth of Ladakh who indulged in violence were misled, caught up in a sinister plot for political and personal gain, the sources said, adding the Central Government stands committed to the welfare and empowerment of Ladakhi people and stands with the youth. The sources said the Congress leaders made statements that almost sounded like instructions for pelting stones, bandhs and arson.

 

“Why were they so ready? The entire episode smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains,” a source said. The situation in Ladakh didn’t spiral on its own and was “engineered deliberately”, they said. The BJP alleged that the violence was a part of the Congress’ nefarious design to create situations in the country similar to Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines. “Today in Ladakh, an attempt was made to portray some protests as being led by ‘Gen Z’ but when an investigation was carried out, it was found that this was not a Gen Z protest but actually a Congress protest,” BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in Delhi. The fast was to push the Centre to resume dialogue in support of their four-point demand - statehood, extension of the Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and reservation for employment. Addressing an online press conference, Wangchuk said the fact that Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60) were taken to a hospital was most likely the immediate trigger for the violent protest. With the situation worsening rapidly, he stepped in with an appeal and an announcement that he was cutting short the fast. “I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country,” he told his supporters.

 

Teargas shells were heard in the backdrop. “This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for myself personally because the path we are treading for the last five years was peaceful… We held hunger strikes on five occasions and walked from Leh to Delhi, but today we are seeing our message of peace failing because of the incidents of violence and arson,” Wangchuk said. He also appealed to the administration to stop firing teargas shells and urged the Government to be more sensitive. “We are ending our fast immediately… the aim of the hunger strike is not fulfilled if our youth lose their lives.” “It is time to carry forward the dialogue with a cool mind. We will keep our agitation non-violent and I also want to ask the Government to listen to our message of peace… when the message of peace is ignored, such a situation arises,” he said. The situation is the outcome of frustration among the youth because they have been kept away from jobs, Wangchuk said, adding that there is “no democracy in Ladakh and the Sixth Schedule promise made to the public has not been fulfilled either”.

 

The Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, meant for the tribal population of the four northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam, makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of the President and the Governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms and financial powers exercised through autonomous councils. A fresh round of talks was scheduled between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6. The two bodies have been jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of their demands and have held several rounds of talks with the Government in the past. Tension had been building up since Tuesday evening. Responding to the protest call, Leh town shut down today, and large crowds assembled at the NDS memorial ground and later took out a march through the streets of the town, chanting slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood, officials said. Groups of youth set ablaze a security vehicle and some more, and also targeted the BJP office. They set fire to furniture and papers within the complex and one of the buildings. After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and KDA for the talks - 10 days after Wangchuk began the hunger strike. Former MP and LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang, who had resigned from the body after the last round of talks on May 27, has returned to the helm and is likely to lead the joint delegation during the negotiations. The Congress opted out of the LAB after some constituents expressed the view that the LAB delegation should be non-political in view of the Leh Hill Council elections next month. 

 

 

 THE violence in Ladakh smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains, but the youth are not to be blamed, Government sources said here on Wednesday. Ladakh and its youth are paying a huge price for the narrow politics played by certain individuals and the personal ambitions of activist Sonam Wangchuk, they claimed. The youth of Ladakh who indulged in violence were misled, caught up in a sinister plot for political and personal gain, the sources said, adding the Central Government stands committed to the welfare and empowerment of Ladakhi people and stands with the youth. The sources said the Congress leaders made statements that almost sounded like instructions for pelting stones, bandhs and arson. “Why were they so ready? The entire episode smacks of conspiracy motivated by politics and personal gains,” a source said. The situation in Ladakh didn’t spiral on its own and was “engineered deliberately”, they said. Referring to the October 6 meeting of the High Powered Committee with the ABL and KDA to discuss all issues concerning the Union Territory, the sources said the Central Government has also agreed on the new members for HPC as proposed by the ABL. The sources said the Central Government is considering advancing the October 6 meeting to September 25-26. “In fact, the Centre has always been ready for talks and, on an earlier occasion, talks were proposed on 25th July which did not receive a positive response,” they said. Even when the talks are lined up with an open mind, violence was provoked for whose benefit? the sources questioned. “Sonam Wangchuck has long hinted at wanting an Arab Spring-style protest in Ladakh. His references to Gen Z protests in Nepal now seem like a blueprint. Has he used the platform for his personal issues to hide certain irregularities which are coming to light now?” the sources said.