Meetings with other senior functionaries likely
Also calls on Rajnath to review infra works
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 20: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh VK Saxena today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the Union Capital and discussed issues of development, tourism promotion etc.
This was the first meeting Saxena had with Modi and Rajnath after taking over the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on March 13 from Kavinder Gupta to become fourth LG of the Union Territory.
The office of the Lieutenant Governor Ladakh reaffirmed its commitment to realising the Prime Minister’s vision for Ladakh and to establishing it as a leading tourist destination.
A statement on X said, “LG, VK Saxena, today called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his valuable guidance and blessings. Saxena has expressed his resolve to fulfill PM’s larger vision for the development of Ladakh and positioning it as a leading destination on the world’s tourism map.”
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A post by the Prime Minister on X read: “Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
Later, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh also called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and discussed with him the issues pertaining to the Union Territory.
Saxena is also expected to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during his stay in New Delhi.
Earlier this month, on March 14, Saxena welcomed the Union Home Ministry’s decision to revoke the NSA detention of social activist Sonam Wangchuk. He described the move as a positive step by the Central Government towards fostering peace, harmony, stability and mutual trust in Ladakh.
Wangchuk is expected to reach Leh shortly and the Leh Apex Body (LAB) has already announced to give him grand reception.
The Defence Ministry has undertaken a series of infrastructure development projects in Ladakh which will not only benefit the troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh but also the locals. Several bridges, tunnels and roads are under construction in the UT.
Work on Zojila tunnel which will provide round-the-year road connectivity to Ladakh is also apace. The tunnel is expected to be completed in February 2028.
Sources said the LG’s talks with the Union Home Minister could center on the issues of Statehood and Sixth Schedule status demands for Ladakh for which the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been agitating for past about five years now. Last round of talks between the twin Ladakh bodies and the MHA at the High Powered Committee (HPC) meeting headed by Union Minister of State, for Home Nityanand Rai was held on February 4 but there was no breakthrough.
The MHA hasn’t extended any fresh invitation to the twin bodies for fresh dialogue so far amid reports that the Centre wants the LAB and KDA to dilute their stand on Statehood and Sixth Schedule status.
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