Jora, Wangchuk not to be part of LAB delegation
*Apex Body urges Shah to chair HPC meet in Leh
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 20: With Thupstan Chhewang back at the helm of Leh Apex Body (LAB), the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today convened the High Powered Committee (HPC) meet on the issues of Ladakh on October 6 in New Delhi after over four months.
The LAB has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to chair the meeting of HPC keeping in view sensitivity of the issues raised by LAB and KDA which now include Sixth Schedule status and Statehood for Ladakh. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai is head of the HPC and he chairs its meetings.
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Last meeting of the HPC was held in New Delhi on May 27 in which the issues of reservations and domicile were resolved. The meeting scheduled for October 6 will be held after more than four months.
A meeting notice issued today by the MHA said next meeting of the High-Powered Committee on Ladakh will be held on October 6 at 11 AM in Conference Hall of Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk told the Excelsior that the MHA has sought names of seven members each from LAB and KDA who will attend the HPC meeting. The names have been finalized, he said, adding that the delegation will be headed by Thupstan Chhewang and all LAB members will be apolitical as per a decision taken in this regard in view of upcoming Leh Hill Council elections.
“Name of UT Congress chief Nawang Rigzin Jora has been replaced with Advocate Thinles Angmo,” Lakruk said. It may be mentioned here that the Congress had opted out of LAB following issue raised by some organizations that the LAB delegation should be non-political in view of Leh Hill Council elections. BJP is not part of the LAB from the very beginning.
However, the KDA can have political leaders as elections are not due in Kargil district.
Lakruk made it clear that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on 35-day fast in Leh since October 10 in support of the demands for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh, will not be part of the LAB delegation which will hold talks with the MHA.
“We have requested the MHA that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should hold talks with LAB and KDA. We have also suggested that the talks should be held in Leh,” Lakruk said.
Headed by Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai, the HPC comprised seven members each from LAB and KDA, Ladakh’s Lok Sabha member, chairpersons of Leh and Kargil Hill Development Councils, the Chief Secretary Ladakh and senior officers of the MHA including Incharge Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs.
The issues of reservations and domicile were resolved in May 27 HPC meeting in New Delhi clearing the decks for recruitments.
Now, the LAB and KDA have been agitating for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh.
After May 27 meeting, the LAB and KDA leaders said they were told that next meeting of the HPC will be held within a month to discuss their twin issues of Statehood and Sixth Schedule status to Ladakh. However, the meeting has now been convened after four months.
The Leh Hill Council elections are due in the month of October. But, uncertainty prevailed over the elections as the MHA had in August last year announced five new districts for Ladakh. Three new districts were carved out of Leh and two from Kargil.
The new districts are yet to be formally created with announcement of their headquarters, boundaries, posts etc. It is yet to be seen whether all seven districts will get Hill Councils or there will be new mechanism.
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