KARGIL: BJP Kargil leaders on Tuesday questioned the participation of political workers and supporters from outside Ladakh in the proposed LAB-KDA programmes, while urging the two bodies and other stakeholders to continue pursuing the region’s demands through dialogue with the Centre.
BJP State Spokesperson Tsewang Norboo and Kargil district president Assaudallah Munshi, addressing a press conference in Kargil, raised concerns over the proposed protests and padyatras scheduled in Kargil and Leh on September 23 and 24.
The BJP leaders specifically questioned the involvement of workers and supporters associated with the Socialist Party of India and Communist organisations, asking why political participants from outside the Union Territory were required for programmes concerning Ladakh.
Their remarks came in the backdrop of the September 9 meeting between representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The LAB and KDA have said they were dissatisfied with the outcome of the talks, particularly over the absence of a concrete draft detailing the proposed governance framework for Ladakh.
The two organisations have been pursuing demands relating to an elected UT-level body and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. The Centre and Ladakh representatives have continued discussions on the proposed institutional framework, including the powers of the proposed elected body.
Against this backdrop, Norboo and Munshi called upon the LAB, KDA and people of Ladakh to maintain peace and ensure that the proposed programmes do not affect law and order.
The BJP leaders also urged stakeholders to remain engaged with the Government of India through dialogue, arguing that the region’s demands should continue to be pursued through the ongoing engagement process.
The call for restraint comes ahead of the programmes planned for September 23 and 24. The KDA has announced a peaceful rally in Kargil on September 23, while the wider mobilisation by the LAB and KDA has been linked to demands for an elected UT-level body and constitutional safeguards.
The BJP leaders appealed to residents to ensure that the region remains peaceful during the proposed programmes and asked all stakeholders to cooperate with the authorities in maintaining public order.
The LAB and KDA, meanwhile, have maintained that their mobilisation is aimed at pressing the Centre on pending demands concerning Ladakh’s political and constitutional framework. The September 9 talks were followed by calls from the two bodies for further movement on the issues under discussion.
The latest statements add another political position to the debate over the course of the dialogue between Ladakh’s representative bodies and the Centre, with the BJP leaders stressing continued engagement while raising concerns over participation by political workers from outside the region.
