No breakthrough in crucial talks between Ladakh team, MHA

JAMMU: The crucial talks between the Ladakh leadership and the high-powered home ministry committee ended without any conclusion in New Delhi on Wednesday, with the Ladakhi representatives hoping for another meeting soon.

“The Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance today held a meeting with the committee headed by MoS Home Nityanand Rai. Home secretary was also present. We had submitted a draft proposal and discussions were held only on the issues of statehood and the sixth schedule. Talks continued for a long time, but they did not reach any conclusion,” Chering Dorjay Lakrook, co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), said after the talks.

Sixth schedule of the Indian Constitution provides for the administration of tribal areas in certain states to protect tribal autonomy, culture, and land.

“We cannot say whether talks were successful or a failure. There was no conclusion. We hope the home ministry will soon call another meeting and discuss the same issues,” he said. “We will not take today's talks as negative or positive. Since the talks are continuing, we do not want to delve into it further,” he said.

Asgar Ali Karbali, co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, said detailed deliberations were held on statehood and the sixth schedule. “Before holding talks on these issues, we raised the issue of four youths who were ‘martyred’ in September last year and those who have been detained," he said.

“We sought the release of Sonam Wangchuk and others and said allegations against them are baseless. We also sought dignified compensation for the families of those killed in the violence,” he said, adding that the discussions continued for about two-and-a-half hours. “We hope the next meeting will be held in 15 days. We are neither satisfied nor hopeless.”

The first round of talks between the committee and Ladakhi representatives was held on Oct 22, 2025, 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 ordered an inquiry into the Sept 24 police firing on protesters in Leh who were demanding statehood and sixth schedule status for the union territory. Four protesters were killed in the firing. After the commission 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.
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