Massive protests erupted in Ladakh on September 24 demanding statehood and inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. According to reports four people have killed during the protests. The Modi government is solely responsible for this entire situation, having trampled the Constitution, dismantled federalism, and denied the people their democratic rights in order to tighten its authoritarian grip over the region.
The Modi regime had arbitrarily scrapped Article 370 in 2019 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir, reducing it into two Union Territories. The demand for statehood has been raised consistently by the people of both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Yet, the Modi-led BJP government has turned a blind eye to the democratic aspirations of the people. The September 24 protests in Ladakh, which saw thousands participating, reflect the growing anger against years of suppression of people’s rights and demands.
Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, whose fast at the NDS Ground in Leh entered its 15th day on Wednesday, has been urging the government to listen to the people of Ladakh. The health of several activists protesting alongside him has been deteriorating, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
With statehood, the people of Ladakh are demanding special constitutional provisions under the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal interests, empower local governance through Autonomous District Councils and protect the fragile ecological environment. Besides the democratic aspirations of the people in Ladakh, another matter of grave concern is the protection of Ladakh from corporate plunder of land and resources, as seen in other hilly regions across the country. The first-of-its-kind reduction of a region from the status of a state to a union territory has snatched people’s right to participate in decision-making and planning processes.
We call upon the government to respect the democratic aspirations of the people, immediately engage with people of Ladakh, and ensure statehood along with inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The injustice done to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019 has to be undone and Kashmir’s demand for statehood too cannot be ignored.
-- Central Committee, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, September 24
