Ladakh body refuses talks, demands detainees' release

The Apex Body Leh (ABL) on Monday announced that it won't participate in dialogue with the Centre till normalcy is restored in Ladakh and all the detainees arrested during and after September 24 protests are released and cases against them withdrawn.

ABL chief Thupstan Chewang and co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk said this while addressing a press conference in Leh. The representatives of Ladakh were scheduled to participate in preparatory meetings with the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on September 30 or October 1 and later a meeting of the high-powered committee was scheduled to be held on October 6. "Considering the situation here (Ladakh), we have jointly decided that we won't be part of any dialogue till normalcy and peace is restored here," said Chewang.

ABL said that it expects the MHA and the Union Territory administration to take some steps that would help to end this "situation of extreme fear, terror and sadness in Ladakh".


"There should be an impartial judicial inquiry by a retired Supreme Court justice into the excessive use of force against our children who have been hit by bullets in their heads and chests. We have proof that CRPF opened fire without the orders of the magistrate," said Lakruk. He also said that several youngsters, who have been picked up were beaten and put in the custody, are innocents and should be immediately released while cases against them should be withdrawn. "How can we engage in talks when we are held at gunpoint," he said.

The ABL co-chairman suggested that if the government wants to win the trust and sympathy of people, they should address the demands as soon as possible to balm the wounds of Ladakh. "Otherwise it is not going to heal quickly," Lakruk warned. ABL and Kargil Democratic Alliance are striving for statehood, implementation of Sixth Schedule, two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh and a separate Public Service Commission.

"LG sahib has levelled serious allegations against us...that we are acting at the hand of foreign players and DGP sahib said there is a Pak hand in this and that Wangchuk is anti-national," said Lakruk, adding, "These allegations are intolerable."