Both bodies working on it, will submit joint document
*All major issues of Ladakh UT to find place
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 1: Moving a step ahead in talks with Ladakh representatives, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a fresh detailed draft from Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on their demands before inviting them for next round of dialogue in New Delhi.
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“The LAB is working on the draft. It held a meeting in Leh today to discuss and finalize its points in the draft. Thereafter, it will seek draft from the KDA. Later, both the organizations will sit and prepare the document with consensus,” LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk told the Excelsior.
He said it will be a joint draft prepared with consensus by both the organizations.
“We will deliberate and discuss all points to be included in the draft before submitting it to the MHA,” Lakruk said.
While the LAB leader declined to share the points being mentioned in the draft sought by the Union Home Ministry, sources said it will have details of demands being projected by the LAB and KDA for Ladakh and will elaborate on justification for what they are seeking from the Central Government after Ladakh became a Union Territory on August 5, 2019.
The Statehood, Sixth Schedule status, release of all detainees who are still in the jails post September 24 violence and certain guarantees for the people of Ladakh are among the issues which are being discussed for projection in the draft, the sources said, adding it will be ready in next few days for discussion.
“We are taking our all constituents in the LAB on board. Similarly, the organizations affiliated with the KDA will also be involved in the exercise. This will follow joint meeting of LAB and KDA to finalize the draft,” the sources said.
They added that assistance of the LAB Legal Advisors is also being taken in the draft.
“We want to project our demands in such a way that the Home Ministry doesn’t find any lacunae,” the sources said.
They added that the next meeting to be convened by the MHA will be that of the High Powered Committee (HPC) and not the Sub Committee which was held on October 22 in New Delhi. The HPC meeting will be chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.
The HPC will have six representatives each from LAB and KDA as against three each in the Sub Committee besides the Ladakh MP, Kargil Hill Council Chairperson and senior officials of the MHA and Ladakh UT administration. The Leh Hill Council has completed its term and it will be seen whether its former Chairperson-cum-CEC is invited for the meeting or not.
Talks between the Centre, LAB and KDA had broken down after September 24 violence which took place during strike called by youth wing of the LAB seeking preponement of talks with the MHA which were scheduled for October 6. Four civilians were killed and many others were injured in the violence.
Both the Ladakh organizations (LAB and KDA) stayed away from the dialogue slated for October 6.
The last round of talks between the two sides was held on May 27.
On October 17, the MHA announced a judicial inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge into the violent clashes of September 24 in Leh.
According to a notification issued by the MHA, the judicial probe, to be headed by Justice B S Chauhan, a former Judge of the Supreme Court, is mandated to investigate the “circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, the police action and the resultant unfortunate deaths of four people”.
After the judicial inquiry, the talks between MHA and LAB-KDA resumed after five months on October 22. However, the talks were confined to discussions but the LAB and KDA representatives described the meeting as very useful saying the MHA officers appeared to be very serious on their demands.
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