Review meeting & dairy infra focus of Amit Shah's Ladakh visit

Srinagar: Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Leh on Thursday to attend the first international exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha in Leh, chair review meetings and inaugurate several development projects in the Union Territory.

Shah was received by Ladakh LG VK Saxena and accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport here. Senior officials of the police and civil administration were also present.

The sacred Piprahwa relics of Buddha were brought to Leh in a special Indian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday by Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche and Khenpo Thinlas Chosal of Matho Monastery. Piprahwa relics refer to the ancient remains and associated objects linked to Gautama Buddha, discovered at Piprahwa, an archaeological site in present day Uttar Pradesh, near the Nepal border.


Shah will inaugurate and lay the foundation for multiple dairy infrastructure and cooperative initiatives in Ladakh on Friday, aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods and boosting the dairy sector in the Union Territory.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, who are striving for statehood of Ladakh and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, have urged Shah to hold a meeting with them in Leh for "constructive and peaceful dialogue" to address their demands. They urged Shah to take some confidence-building measures like adequate compensation for those killed and injured in the September 24 incident and unconditional withdrawal of cases against 83 people who were arrested after September.