Ladakh leaders call for strike on December 6 to press for statehood

Accusing the Centre of delaying in fulfilling the promises made to the people of Ladakh, the civil society conglomerates of the newly-formed Union Territory have called for a strike on December 6.

The Leh-based apex body of People's Movement for 6th Schedule and the Kargil-based Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have jointly called for the strike and follow-up awareness and protest programmes across the UT. The two bodies, formed to ensure the protection of identity, land, jobs and culture of the UT, have joined hands in demanding the granting of statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards, including implementation of sixth schedule, two Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha seats and filling up of over 10,000 vacancies to fight unemployment in the UT.

"People of Ladakh should elect their own representatives and form their own laws. Strike and mass level protests will continue. After the weather is better in March, we will hold a mass rally in Leh, where KDA members will address the masses and in Kargil Apex body representatives from Leh will address the rally," said Asgar Ali Karbalaie, a former legislator and co-chairman of KDA. He also warned that Centre, especially BJP, would want to create division within the KDA.