Qari questions LAB-KDA mandate, urges Centre for separate Hill Council for Drass

> BJP’s Drass Unit Demands Separate Hill Council

DRASS: BJP District President for Drass, Fayaz Ahmad Qari, on Sunday demanded a separate Hill Council for the newly created district of Drass, asserting that the aspirations of the district’s residents were not reflected during the recent High-Powered Committee (HPC) meeting held in Leh.

Addressing a press conference in Drass, Qari alleged that representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), who attended the HPC meeting on June 25, did not represent the interests of the seven newly created districts of Ladakh, including Drass, Zanskar, Changthang and Sham.

He claimed that discussions at the meeting favoured retaining only the existing Hill Councils of Leh and Kargil, while opposing the creation of separate autonomous councils for the newly carved districts. “Who gave these two bodies the democratic mandate to decide on behalf of all the new districts?” he questioned.

Qari said the people of Drass had long sought administrative autonomy and had consistently raised concerns over what he described as inadequate political representation under the existing Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil. He alleged that while some areas have one councillor representing around 1,300 people, Drass has one councillor for nearly 6,000 residents, calling it an example of unequal representation.

Reiterating the BJP’s stand, he appealed to the Government of India to establish a separate Hill Council for Drass, similar to the demand for district-wise Hill Councils raised by various stakeholders in Ladakh. He also called for equal representation for all districts in any future overarching administrative body created for the Union Territory.

The BJP leader further asked elected councillors from the National Conference (NC) and Congress representing Drass to publicly clarify whether they support a separate Hill Council for the district. He accused them of remaining silent on an issue that directly concerns the political future of Drass.

Qari recalled that during the Chief Secretary’s recent visit to Drass, local residents had unanimously demanded a separate Hill Council and equal political rights. He urged the Centre not to treat the views of the Leh Apex Body and KDA as representative of the people of Drass.

Highlighting development initiatives in the region, Qari credited the BJP-led Central Government for infrastructure projects, educational institutions, roads and other developmental works being undertaken in Drass. He maintained that the district’s recent progress was a result of Central government support and challenged opposition leaders to secure similar assistance for the area from their respective governments and party leadership.

He also claimed that the BJP had already recognised Drass as a separate organisational district by appointing a district president, while questioning why the National Conference and Congress had yet to announce their district leadership for Drass despite the district’s official creation.

Expressing confidence in further administrative strengthening of the district, Qari said the Centre had assured Drass of additional government offices and administrative infrastructure, adding that Union ministers had also expressed their commitment to developing Drass into a major tourism destination.

Concluding his address, Qari urged the people of Drass to seek a clear stand from their elected representatives on the issue of a separate Hill Council, alleging that the district’s interests should not be compromised in future deliberations concerning Ladakh’s governance.