Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Thursday said the recent violence in Leh, which claimed four lives, was a result of public frustration after the Centre halted talks with Ladakh bodies over the statehood issue.
Co-Chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, Asgar Ali Karbalai, made these statements while addressing a joint press conference in Kargil with MP of Ladakh, Haji Mohmad Haneefa.
“We have been demanding four things for the last five years and have held several rounds of talks with the MHA till now. The MHA always assures us that they are sincere, but when we go for talks, they give excuses. Since May this year, talks have completely stopped. So, we were forced to protest and go on a hunger strike. Sonam Wangchuk and others held a hunger strike and peaceful protest in Leh, during which two women got seriously ill, but the MHA remained silent. Later, when the hunger strike entered its 11th day, they announced dates for talks. These dates made people angry, and they felt cheated. Yesterday, the reaction was seen during the Leh shutdown. People felt the government is not serious, so they came onto the streets and demanded that the dates be preponed. But these unarmed people were fired upon, and we lost four valuable lives,” Karbalai said.
Administration Using Harsh Measures
Karbalai claimed that around six people are still in serious condition and 40 are in the hospital, alleging that this shows how the administration used force on unarmed protesters. He further claimed that when the youths became agitated, they were fired upon by paramilitary forces. He also claimed that instead of addressing the grievances of the people, the administration is reportedly using harsh measures and making selective arrests.
“Calling the people who were killed heroes, Ladakhis should never forget this. We stand with the families of those who lost their lives. Around six are still in serious condition, and 40 are in hospital. This shows how the administration used force on unarmed protesters. When the youths became agitated, they were fired upon by paramilitary forces. Instead of healing the wounds of the people, the administration is using harsh measures and carrying out selective arrests,” Karbalai added.
Resume Talks With KDA Over Statehood Issue
Condemning the harsh actions of the government, Karbalai said that witch-hunting should stop and talks should be restored. He demanded that the administration immediately resume discussions with the KDA and the Apex Body and warned that if this does not happen and any untoward incident occurs, the KDA will not be responsible.
“We condemn all these harsh actions of the administration. Witch-hunting should stop, and talks should be restored. We demand that the administration immediately resume talks with the KDA and the Apex Body. We warn that if this does not happen and some untoward incident occurs, we will not be responsible,” Karbalai reiterated.
Ladakh MP Demands Probe Into Leh Violence
Ladakh MP Haji Mohmad Haneefa, who was also present at the press conference, described the violence in Ladakh as unfortunate and called for a free and fair investigation into the deaths. He also appealed to the government and the Ministry of Home Affairs to resume talks at the earliest and address the issues of Ladakh seriously.
“The situation that has arisen in Ladakh is very unfortunate. I demand a free and fair investigation into how people were killed and what type of forces were used. We lost precious lives. There should be an investigation to determine whether the deaths were caused by bullets or pellets. We do not endorse violence, as we understand the strategic value of this area and its importance to the country. However, when the MHA stopped talks, the people of Ladakh, especially the youth, became frustrated, which led to this situation. I appeal to the UT administration and MHA to resume talks at the earliest and address the issues of Ladakh seriously,” he said.
KDA Shutdown In Kargil
The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had called for a complete shutdown in Kargil on Thursday, in response to violent clashes in Leh that resulted in four deaths. The shutdown was held in solidarity with the victims and as a peaceful protest against the killings. Shops, businesses, and markets across Kargil remained closed. The shutdown also extended to other areas, including Burow, Sankoo, Panikhar, Padum, and Trespon.
In response to the shutdown and the tense atmosphere following the Leh violence, authorities in Kargil imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), banning assemblies of more than four people, and a curfew was imposed in Leh.
The KDA’s shutdown is part of a larger, long-standing movement in Ladakh, led jointly by the KDA and the Leh Apex Body (LAB), demanding full statehood for Ladakh and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to provide constitutional safeguards for the region’s land, jobs, and cultural identity.