Extend Ladakh’s territorial control to Gilgit-Baltistan in PoK: Ladakh’s socio-political bodies

In memorandum, the groupings also urge the Centre to grant Statehood to fight Chinese threat at the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

Students from Leh, Ladakh stage a protest over various demands including a separate Statehood for Ladakh and inclusion of the Union Territory (UT) in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. FILE | Photo Credit: ANI

Ladakh’s main socio-political groupings, Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), have asked the Centre to extend Ladakh’s territorial control up to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and ensure internal stability by granting Statehood with guarantees of the Sixth Schedule to fight the threat from China.

In a fresh memorandum submitted to the Union Home Ministry this month, the LAH and KDA have given details of the reasons for seeking Statehood and special status under the Sixth Schedule for the region, which was carved out as a Union Territory from the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

It highlighted that Ladakh holds a significant position for strategic location vis-a-vis China and Pakistan. “Empowering the locals will foster stability. The understanding of the locals of the harsh terrain and the geography of Ladakh has always proved helpful in the military and logistic operations,” it said.

‘Reserve seats for Gilgit-Baltistan’

The two socio-political amalgams also underlined that the territory of Ladakh extends to Gilgit-Baltistan. “Therefore, attempts should be made to include this area into Ladakh as well and just like the UT of J&K, seats should be reserved for the same,” it said.

Ladakh, which is run by two hill councils from Leh and Kargil, has demanded a full-fledged legislature. It said granting legislative powers in the form of a legislature to the locals will enable effective governance and development and foster the federal structure of India.

Pitching for Statehood, the grouping pointed out that Ladakh had four elected members in the J&K Assembly and two members in the legislative council.

“Ladakh has been kept as a UT without a legislature [after 2019]. This has led to a sense of disappointment... There are precedents of Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and other northeastern states which have become full-fledged States in the past and are also protected under the Sixth Schedule and Article 371 of the Constitution,” the memorandum said.

Fragile ecology

The memorandum also highlighted Ladakh’s ecologically fragile and sensitive areas. “The ecology of Ladakh plays an important role in the climate patterns of not just the country but also has an impact on the world,” it said.

The LAB and KDA also demanded a separate public service commission for recruitments. “There is a need for the formation of the Ladakh Public Service Commission for the gazetted jobs and for the non-gazetted jobs, the respective Hill Councils shall have the powers to recruit,” it said.

The memorandum also seeks an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats from one to two, besides allocating one seat in Rajya Sabha.