Pledging to contest polls from the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh too under the party symbol, former J&K Chief Minister National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said a majority of people in Ladakh were against the Centre’s move to separate it from J&K and turn into a UT in 2019.
“Rumours are being spread that the NC cannot contest polls from Ladakh. If the West Bengal-based Mamata Banerjee’s party can contest from Goa, Delhi-based Arvind Kejriwal’s party can contest from Gujarat, NC can also contest from Ladakh, which was a part of J&K till recent times. We will approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) for registration of NC’s symbol here,” Mr. Abdullah, who is touring Kargil, said.
Mr. Abdullah, who was speaking at a party’s convention in Kargil a day after he was denied permission to use a microphone during a party meeting and stay at the Dak Bungalow, Drass, said his party has an important role to play in Ladakh.
“The Ladakh administration cannot stop us from coming here. The NC has an important role to play in Ladakh. Our party colleagues have advised us against lowering our party flag or role in the region. Initially, the people of Kargil opposed the Centre’s August 5, 2019 move and now the people of Leh are disenchanted with the decision. They gained less and lost more after Ladakh was converted into a UT. Though the NC does not believe in imposing decisions from Srinagar or Jammu on Ladakh,” Mr. Abdullah said.
The former J&K Chief Minister said 70 to 80% of the people of Ladakh were not with the decisions made by the Centre in 2019.
“Except for a few people, including the chief executive councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), who was jittery by my presence in Ladakh, were with it. He forgets though that the job of CEC has been reduced to visiting officers during the day time. Only those who enjoy tea visit the LAHDC-Leh now. In our time, we respected the elected councillors and their decisions. The CEC and councillors used to unfurl national flags on August 15 and January 26. Today they have no seat available on such occasions,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Mr. Abdullah said the Centre has failed to roll out any major development or employment initiatives in Ladakh after August 5, 2019. “There is no new era for unemployed youth of Ladakh, no commission or recruitment policy. Check the foundation stones of universities, hospitals, tourism infrastructure and stadiums in Ladakh, you will find the answers,” Mr. Abdullah said.
He also criticised the Centre for failing to even the Kargil Airport operation for regular flights for the local population.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullah praised the unity shown by organisations in Kargil over the Gompa issue. “There will be attempts to vitiate the atmosphere and divide people in the name of religion, you need to stay together and united. They have nothing to show. That is why they get worried by our visits here,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, two key amalgams of religious and political bodies, on Tuesday called for a protest in Ladakh to press for the demands of statehood, constitutional rights and separate Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats.
“We will protest against the attitude of the Government of India. Our demands are not being met. They [the BJP] had promised to form a committee for a dialogue. However, it did not happen. We are forced to organise a protest on November 2 against the attitude of the Centre, which is anti-people,” Qamar Ali Akhoon, a KDA leader, said.
