LAB to revive movement, will meet KDA soon

Union Govt's unstinted support leads to transformation of J&K on all fronts: MHA

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: With Statehood and Sixth Schedule almost ruled out by the Union Home Ministry, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) today announced revival of the movement by mobilizing public opinion in different areas and holding meeting with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the Apex Body held under the chairmanship of Thupstan Chhewang, former Lok Sabha member.
An official statement said the meeting decided that the LAB teams would visit different regions of the Union Territory of Ladakh including Changthang, Zanskar and Karu to sensitize people at grassroots level about importance of grant of Sixth Schedule, Statehood and problems of unemployment and other issues connected to Ladakh.
“The meeting also decided that the Apex body would meet representatives of the Kargil Democratic Alliance soon and discuss future course of action collectively,” the statement said.
It said they will pressurize the Central Government to invite them for further rounds of talks related to four points of demand as promised by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
As exclusively reported by the Excelsior recently, the Central Government has virtually ruled out Statehood as well as Sixth Schedule status. However, it was mulling empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), Leh and Kargil, either by an Act of Parliament or by an order of the Union Home Ministry, to protect land, culture, heritage etc of Ladakh.
In addition to the powers for protection of land, culture etc, the twin Councils of Leh and Kargil will also be empowered with more financial and administrative powers which will help them to carry out more developmental works in their areas of jurisdiction.