Thupstan Chhewang
My attention has been drawn to certain references made about me by Mr Nurboo Gialchan, Congress MLC, in the article “Divisional status for Ladakh-a rejoinder” in your esteemed newspaper on March 21.
Mr Gialchan has grossly mispresented facts. I take this opportunity to put the record straight:
(a) First of all he has quoted my party colleague, Mr Jamyang Tsering
Namgyal’s reference to my speech at Leh’s Polo Ground, which is the most popular venue for political parties in Leh to unfold their agenda, and written “Sh. Thupstan Chhewang might have said such things at Polo Ground or anywhere else. But he keeps mum where his voice matters most.” It is not surprising that Mr Gialchan has undermined the significance of the Polo Ground as one of our most important centres of political activity. It was here that his leaders had said that those who betrayed the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF) and the demand for “union territory status for Ladakh” would be “traitors.” How they went on to betray the LUTF and the cause of UT itself is recorded in news papers.
Mr Gialchan apparently would not like to be reminded about this and suffer from qualms of conscience if he has one.
(b) So far as I am concerned I have never been motivated by personal ambitions to change my views. I have consistently stood for union territory (UT) status for Ladakh and endorse every word Mr Jamyang Tsering Namgyal has quoted from my speech at Leh’s Polo Ground. The Parliamentary proceedings and speeches elsewhere are a matter of record. At every forum and at every available opportunity I have spoken for UT. My latest letter to my own party leader, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who is carrying out an important party responsibility at the organisational level, also bears testimony to this. I strongly feel that for a vision of a strong and vibrant India to succeed Ladakh out to be a union territory having direct rapport with New Delhi free from the clutches of Kashmiri leaders who are lost in a maze of conflicting and confusing ideologies.
(c) I thank Mr Gialchan for giving me a chance to recall my role during the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha at the time of the historic Indo-America nuclear deal. At that time I was personally invited by Ms Sonia Gandhi for a meeting at which Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and the Congress leader, Mr Ahmad Patel, were also present. I apprised them of the situation in Ladakh and how the funds were badly needed for its development. They agreed to each and every of my demand which I spelt out to them like…
Deputy Chairperson Planning Commission Govt. Of India.
I. Ladakh, Leh and Kargil should be sanction supplementary plan assistance by planning commission for the next five year to the tune of minimum Rs.200 crores each keeping in mind special nature and difficult topography of the region and money should be released directly to the council and monitored by planning commission and P.M. Office.
II. Ladakh region should be connected to northern grid of electricity and necessary funds for the purpose should be sanctioned. A feasibility study and D.P.R. is aleady completed and should be implemented through National Power Grid Corporation.
III. Coverage of entire Ladakh under Rajive Gandhi Gram Vidutti Karan Yojna for power transmission line connectivity in both Leh and Kargil districts.
IV. Setting up of a Central University with headquarters in Leh.
Hon’ble Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
I. Action to be initiated on priority to start review and bring about necessary changes in Ladakh act.
II. Chairman/CEC of Ladakh, Leh and Kargil should be consulted in posting of Deputy Commissioners and SSP. This should be done by seeking a panel of names from the councils of eligible officers.
III. There are four nominated seats in state council from Ladakh region. This should be equally shared by the party in control of council and the state Govt. council of ministers has of J&K already given its approval.
IV. A regular review of all pending problems of Ladakh region should be carried by Hon’ble governor bi monthly.
Ministry of Home Affiar s Govt. Of India
I. Inclusion of Bhoti
Language in the eight Schedule of the Inidan Constitution.
II. Oppening of Kailash – Mansarover route.
Power Ministry
a) Sanction of three Micro Hydle Projects in Nubra Valley
I. Hanu
II. Bogdang
III. Sasoma
b) Early completion of Domkhar projects.
Unfortunately as is the wont of Congress leaders they did not fully meet their commitment. The Governor, Mr N. N. Vohra, was contacted in my presence by the Prime Minister and he was kind enough to take initiative and invite my colleagues, including Mr Chering Dorjay, the then Chief Executive Councilor at LAHDC Leh to Srinagar for follow-up discussions. By that time some State leaders of the Congress became active to ensure that the LUTF did not get the credit and they acted as spoilers. I am not in politics to “bargain” but to serve the people and the nation. My vision of a prosperous Ladakh is in conformity with the vision of a powerful and prosperous India. To raise doubts about it as Mr Gialchan has tried to do rather clumsily is to hoodwink history, to say the least.
Mr Gialchan is gloating over the resolution in favour of a separate division for Ladakh. He does not explain that if he were so sincere and enthusiastic about UT why he himself did not move a resolution for UT instead. The Legislative Council’s approval of the demand of a UT for Ladakh would have strengthened the hands of each and every Ladakhi. Apparently the august House could not have accorded its concurrence without the issue being raised at all by those like Mr Gialchan who are paying lip service to the cause of UT. There are other distortions also in his write-up about the politics of the State and history of Ladakh which I am sure the National Conference Chief Minister, Mr Omar Abdullah, the People’s Democratic Party chief, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, and Mr Jamyang Tsering Namgyal can take care of.
Besides I, as M.P. Ladakh and member of LUTF, Mr. Chering Dorjay also participated twice in the round table conference called by Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, to discuss Kashmir problems.
We strongly presented Ladakhis case for Union Territory status in the conference. As a follow up of the round table conference, I was a member of working Group for center state relationship. In one of the meeting of the said working group I was physically manhandled by leaders from Kashmir valley headed by Mr. Tarigami for raising the issue of UT for Ladakh forcefully.
(The author is member, National Executive BJP)
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