Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 26: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has called twin Ladakh organizations-Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for talks in New Delhi on September 29 but the High Powered Committee (HPC) meeting convened on October 6 stands even as police today arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under stringent National Security Act (NSA) and shifted him to Jodhpur Jail in Rajasthan.
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After yesterday’s talks by the MHA representatives with the LAB, fresh contact was established by the Home Ministry officials with the LAB and KDA today after which it was decided that a high-level meeting will be held in New Delhi on September 29.
The meeting will be chaired by senior officer of the MHA, most probably the Joint Secretary, Incharge Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs.
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Three members each from the twin bodies will take part in the talks including Thupstan Chhewang, Chering Dorjay Lakruk and Ashraf Ali (LAB) and Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Ali Karbalaie and Sajjad Kargili (KDA). Lone Lok Sabha member from the Union Territory of Ladakh Hanifa Jan has also been called for the talks.
“Instead of four-point agenda, we will now hold talks only on two issues—Statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh,” Lakruk told the Excelsior on telephone from Leh after date for the meeting was finalized.
He said they will demand that October 6 HPC meeting should be preponed. The HPC meeting is to be chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and will have wider participation from Ladakh including seven members each from LAB and KDA, Member Parliament, both Chairpersons-cum-CECs of Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils and senior officers of MHA and UT Ladakh administration.
Meanwhile, curfew continued in Leh town for third consecutive day today even as police arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, two days after protests demanding Ladakh’s Statehood and Sixth Schedule Status left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory, under NSA and shifted him to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.
Besides, more people involved in rioting have either been arrested or detained.
Wangchuk was taken into custody by a police party at 2:30 pm, the officials said, adding that he has been shifted out of Ladakh.
While there was no official word on the charges pressed against Wangchuk, sources within the Ladakh administration indicated that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against the climate activist.
The administration also snapped mobile internet services in the Leh area as a precautionary measure.
Wangchuk was part of the five-year-long agitation for Statehood and Constitutional safeguards for the residents of Leh and Kargil, which form part of the Ladakh Union Territory carved out from erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
The Centre has strongly blamed him for inciting the recent violence but Wangchuk denied all the allegations.
The arrest came a day after the Union Home Ministry cancelled the FCRA license of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organization founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies and a fund transfer deemed to be against “national interest”.
In a notification issued today by Ladakh Chief Secretary Dr Pawan Kotwal, the UT administration said the Advisory Boards constituted under the UT of Ladakh Public Safety Act (PSA), the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, shall also function as the Advisory Boards for the purposes of the National Security Act.
This, according to the officials, was necessitated following arrest of Sonam Wangchuk under the NSA. This was first detention under NSA in Ladakh since it was bifurcated from erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and made a Union Territory.
Shops and business establishment shut in Kargil district of Ladakh as soon as the news of Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest under NSA spread.
The district administration has imposed Section 163 in Kargil to restrict gatherings.
However, situation in the entire UT of Ladakh remained normal today with no untoward incident reported from any part.
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