Ladakhis want peace, but won't back out if the war comes: BJP MP Namgyal

Ladakh BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal has said that the development in the region has taken a hit due to the successive wars fought in the cold desert and its people want peace now.

But, he asserted, that Ladakhis are "true patriots" and will not back out if it comes to another military confrontation to uphold the sovereignty of the country.

"Ladakh will welcome every decision of the Centre. However, I feel the issues with neighbouring countries should be resolved peacefully," the 34-year-old MP said when asked about Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's recent statement that India can reconsider its no-first-use nuclear policy.

Ladakh has borne the brunt of several military confrontations and has not been able to recover from the damage caused in the successive wars, he said.

"It takes a lot of effort and time to rebuild lives and infrastructure. We want peace. But if it comes to war and there's no other option, the Ladakhis will not back out. We are true patriots," Namgyal, who shot to fame after his impassioned speech on Article 370 in Parliament, said.

"Ladakh has been part of every war India fought, be it in 1947-48, 1962, 1965, 1971 or 1999. Many people view it as a battleground. Because of these wars, development in the region has taken a hit," he added.

Asked about Pakistan and China opposing the decision to scrap Article 370, Namgyal said, "It's an internal issue concerning the development of a region and if our neighbours are unhappy about it, we cannot do anything."