Ahead of key Ladakh meet, Buddhist group meets MoS Home, opposes statehood demand

SRINAGAR: Two weeks ahead of a crucial meeting between Ladakhi representatives and the home ministry’s high-powered committee, a delegation from Zanskar region of Kargil on Wednesday evening met Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai and opposed the ongoing demand for statehood for Ladakh.

The delegation, comprising former chairman of LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council) Leh and senior BJP functionary, Tashi Gyalson, chairman and president of Zanskar Buddhist Association, Tsering Dorjay, and several others, submitted a memorandum to the minister stating their “unequivocal opposition to the ongoing demand for statehood for Ladakh” and sought resolution of Zanskar’s specific issues.

According to a statement, the delegation thanked the Union govt for approval of Zanskar as a separate district and asked for early formal “notification and full operationalization of the new district, including appointment of key officers and establishment of requisite infrastructure.”

Zanskar is a Buddhist pocket in Kargil region of Ladakh.

The delegation also sought a separate and independent autonomous hill council for Zanskar, citing its distinct cultural, religious and geographical identity.

The delegation also met Prashant Lokhande, joint secretary (Ladakh Affairs) at the MOAH and submitted him a copy of the memorandum.

On Aug 26, 2024, the MHA had announced creation of five new districts in the union territory — Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.

Earlier, the home ministry had said the high-powered committee for the Union Territory of Ladakh headed by Nityanand Rai would meet Ladakhi representatives on Feb 4, 2026.

The representatives from the region, Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been insisting that the talks focus around “statehood and Sixth Schedule for Ladakh”.

Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides for the administration of tribal areas by establishing autonomous district councils (ADCs), granting significant self-governance powers over land, forests, local laws, and cultural preservation.

In recent times, the first round of talks between the home ministry’s committee and Ladakhi representatives was held on Oct 22 in New Delhi. Ladakh was represented by the LAB and the KDA, which are amalgam of political and religious groups from the Leh and Kargil regions, respectively.

The first round of the talks took place after the Centre’s ordered an inquiry into the Sept 24 police firing on protesters in Leh who were demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the region. Four protesters were killed in the firing. After the commission of inquiry was set up, the LAB and the KDA agreed to begin talks with the Centre, leading to the Oct 22 meeting.

Later, on Nov 14, the LAB and the KDA submitted a 29-page joint draft proposal to the home ministry seeking statehood and Sixth Schedule. The proposal also sought a general amnesty for LAB member and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others detained after the Sept 24 protests.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search