‘BJP backtracking from promises’
Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Mar 27: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) today organized a rally in the town in which educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced that the agitation to demand Statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh will be intensified and a ‘border march’ will be held on April 7.
Wangchuk, who is part of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) that comprises social, religious and political organisations, said they are adopting the Gandhian approach in their agitation, which is vital to safeguard the fragile environment of the region and the indigenous character of its population.
Besides the rally, the LAB said the hunger strike will go on with different sections of society sitting on dharna including women, youth, students, activists etc.
Wangchuk concluded his 21-day long fast last evening in support of the demands like Statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh among others.
“We are followers of (Mahatma) Gandhi’s Satyagraha. We are demanding the fulfilment of the promises made to us by this (BJP) Government through its manifestos which led its candidates to win Parliamentary polls (in 2019) and Hill Council Polls in Leh (2020),” Wangchuk said while addressing the rally.
“The first phase of the hunger strike will be followed by a chain hunger strike by women, youths, religious leaders and elders. On April 7, we will launch a march to Changthang (in the east of Leh along the border with China) like Gandhi’s Dandi March under the Civil Disobedience Movement,” he said.
He said the Leh-based Apex body will lead the march to highlight the ground realities of Ladakh. Wangchuk alleged that nomads were losing prime pasture land to huge industrial plants to the south and Chinese encroachments to the north.
“The Changthang grazers, famous for producing Pashmina wool, are being forced to sell their animals because over 20,000 acres of grazing land was taken by industrialists to set up their plants… We do not want solar energy at the cost of our people’s livelihood and dislocation,” he claimed.
“They are taking away our land because there are no safeguards available…,” Wangchuk alleged.
Accusing the BJP of backtracking from its promises to the people of Ladakh, Wangchuk said the representatives of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) were left shocked when the Union Home Ministry straightway rejected their demands on March 4.
“We are seeking our rights and fulfilment of the promises. Parliamentary polls have been announced and the BJP is again making various guarantees to the people but who is going to buy these promises this time,” he said, expressing hope that the Government will reconsider its decision and announce Statehood to Ladakh.
Wangchuk added that he was ready to go on a hunger strike once again if the demands of the people of Ladakh were not met as “we are fighting for our future and the children”.
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