Page 8 - Ladakh

LS elections 2024: Sixth schedule, employment key issues in Ladakh

As Ladakh votes to elect its MP for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, safeguards under the sixth schedule, statehood and employment are the key issues in the two distant districts of the constituency that is the largest in the country in terms of area. Spread over more than 59,000 square kilometres -- around 40 times the size of Delhi -- the two districts of Leh and Kargil are divided by geography and religion. Buddhist-dominated Leh and Shia Muslim-majority Kargil have come together over four demands -- safeguards under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, statehood, reservation in jobs for locals and a separate public service commission and two Lok Sabha seats for the region. After the abrogation of Article 370, Ladakh, which shares its border with both Pakistan and China, was carved out as a Union Territory without legislature. While Leh welcomed the move initially, people in Kargil were unhappy about the split. However, soon the concerns .

Ladakh united on statehood despite division on polls, says Buddhist leader

Even as the Lok Sabha elections for the Ladakh appear to be divided on regional basis, it will not affect the unity over the demands for statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, said Chering Dorjay Lakruk, president of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA). A three-cornered election in Ladakh, with the BJP and the Congress candidates from Leh and an Independent nominee from Kargil, gives an edge to the Kargil candidate. In an interview with PTI, Lakruk stressed the need for safeguards to protect the land and culture of Ladakh, and also raised concerns over the pasture lands, used for grazing by the local nomadic tribes, being taken over by China. LBA, a prominent social and religious organisation of Ladakh, has had a key role in developing a consensus on the need for the Sixth Schedule. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution deals with provisions for the administration of the tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Founded in

BJP went back on Sixth Schedule promise, will continue movement: Wangchuk

In March this year, Leh, known for its breathtaking landscapes and monasteries, made headlines as climate activist Sonam Wangchuk led a 21-day fast in sub-zero temperatures seeking autonomy for Ladakh. Thousands joined the Ramon Magsaysay Award winner whose life inspired actor Aamir Khan's character Rancho in Bollywood blockbuster "3 Idiots". After ending his fast on March 26, Wangchuk began a sit-in which was called off on May 10 in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Though the government did not accede to the protesters' demands for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Wangchuk says the movement is anything but over. "On one hand, land is going to corporations and on the other hand, China is capturing our land, thousands of square kilometres of land. People of the country need to understand our pain," Wangchuk told PTI. "The Sixth Schedule is required to protect the mountains, glaciers and ecology. Though it is required in the whole ...

Ladakh row: Hope there is resolution of remaining issues, says Jaishankar

As the eastern Ladakh military standoff entered its fifth year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India hopes for a resolution of the remaining issues with China and asserted that a return to normal bilateral ties hinges on peace and tranquillity at the border. In an exclusive interview to PTI, he said the remaining issues mainly pertained to "patrolling rights" and "patrolling abilities". Specifically asked when a resolution to the row can be expected in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks to Newsweek magazine last month, Jaishankar said he only provided a "big picture" viewpoint on the matter. "We would hope that there is a resolution of the remaining issues out there. These issues mainly pertain to patrolling rights and patrolling abilities there," he said. "I would not link it to the prime minister's interview per se. I think the prime minister was giving a big picture viewpoint and his big picture viewpoint was a very reasonable viewpoint which is

'Extreme' solar storm hits Earth: Rare red auroral arc graces Ladakh's sky

A crimson glow lit up the dark sky in parts of Ladakh in a rare stable auroral red arc event at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in the high Himalayas due to the strong solar magnetic storms launched towards Earth. The solar storms or coronal mass ejections are from the AR13664 region of the sun that has produced several high energy solar flares, some of which are travelling towards Earth at a speed of 800 km/s, scientists at the Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences in India (CESSI), Kolkata, said. Spectacular auroras or northern lights lit up the skies in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere as skywatchers from Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark and Poland shared pictures and short videos of the dancing lights on social media. In Ladakh, astronomers at the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve saw a red glow on the northwest horizon in the sky from about 1 am on Saturday that continued till early dawn. "We were fortunate to witness Aurora activities on our all-sky camera dur

LS polls: Only Modi govt can fulfill pending issues of Ladakh, says Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said all pending issues of Ladakh would be fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and exhorted the people to vote for the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. BJP candidate Tashi Gyalson is locked in a three-cornered contest from the Ladakh seat. The Congress has fielded Tsering Namgyal, while the KDA has put up prominent leader Haji Haneefa Jan who is contesting as an independent. The fate of all three candidates will be sealed during the fifth phase of elections on May 20. The Lok Sabha elections here are taking place amid resentment among the locals over the deadlock in talks between the local representatives and the Central government. The dialogue between the joint representatives of Leh-based Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the Union Home Ministry hit the deadlock in March after the Centre refused to accept the demand for statehood and sixth schedule of the Constitution for the Union Territory. a

Eastern Ladakh border row: Talks with China going on well, says Rajnath

As the military standoff between India and China drags on along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the talks between the two sides are going on well and indicated hope for a resolution of the lingering row. In an interview to PTI on Saturday, Singh also said that India has been developing infrastructure along the frontier with China at a rapid speed, asserting that the country's borders will remain safe. "The talks are going on well," he said declining to elaborate further considering the sensitive nature of the dialogue process. Asked whether he was hopeful of a positive outcome and an end to the nearly four-year face-off between the two militaries, Singh shot back: "If there was no hope, then why to have talks." "They (the Chinese side) also have hope and that is why holding the talks," he said. The Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a standoff since May 2020 and a full resolution of the border row has not yet b

IAF airlifts injured soldier with severed hand in C-130 J to Delhi hospital

An Indian Army personnel, whose hand had got severed while operating a machine at a unit located in a forward area, was brought to a Delhi hospital after a "dark night airlift" by an IAF C-130J aircraft from Ladakh sector, officials said on Friday. The jawan underwent an emergency surgery at the Army's Research Referral (R&R) Hospital here, and his severed hand was stitched back, they said. Sources said the incident took place on Wednesday, adding, the personnel was first evacuated to Leh air base and from there a Super Hercules airlifted him to Palam air force station in Delhi. From the time he was brought to the Leh air base to the time he was brought to Delhi, "the span was about four hours," and this "superior coordination" between the Army and the IAF ensured the injured jawan's critical surgery could be performed in time to stitch back his severed hand, a source told PTI. On Friday morning, the Indian Air Force posted on X about the emergency airlift and also shared a photo .

LS polls: Congress, NC to contest 3 seats each in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh

The Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory will be held in the first five phases on April 19 (Udhampur), April 26 (Jammu), May 7 (Anantnag-Rajouri), May 13 (Srinagar) and May 20 (Baramulla)

Wangchuk announces 'border march' to highlight ground realities in Ladakh

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday announced the agitation to demand statehood for Ladakh will be intensified and a 'border march' will be held on April 7 in the eastern part of the Union territory to highlight ground realities, including alleged encroachments by China. Wangchuk, who is part of the Leh-based Apex body that comprises social, religious and political organisations, said they are adopting the Gandhian approach in their agitation, which is vital to safeguard the fragile environment of the region and the indigenous character of its population. "We are followers of (Mahatma) Gandhi's Satyagraha. We are demanding the fulfilment of the promises made to us by this (BJP) government through its manifestos which led its candidates to win parliamentary polls (in 2019) and hill council polls in Leh (2020)," he told a gathering here. The activist ended his 21-day-long hunger strike in support of the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule o

Activist Sonam Wangchuk ends 21-day-long hunger strike for Ladakh statehood

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday evening ended his 21-day-long hunger strike in support of the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Earlier in the day, he made a fresh appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfil the promises made to the people of the Union Territory and also called upon people to use their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections very carefully in the interest of the nation. "The first phase of the hunger strike is ending today but this is not the end of the agitation, Wangchuk said after taking a glass of juice from a minor girl here amid a massive turnout of people at the protest venue. The renowned education reformist said the end of the hunger strike is the beginning of the new phase of the ongoing agitation. "We will continue our struggle (in support of our demands). The gathering of 10,000 people at the venue and participation of over 60,000 others over the past 20 days are a testimon

Ladakh hunger strike: Sonam Wangchuk urges PM Modi to honour promises

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's message to PM Modi came as he continued to press for his demand for constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory of Ladakh

Article 370 prevented new laws from being extended to J&K, Ladakh: EAM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that Article 370 was a temporary measure and it prevented very progressive laws from being extended to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Addressing the Indian community members in Singapore, Jaishankar said that the benefits of the change are now visible. The minister said that Article 370 was a temporary measure of the Indian Constitution and by extending it, two things happened, which harmed us as a nation. One, it created an ethos of separatism, violence and terrorism. And this became a problem for the security of the entire country. Second, it prevented very progressive laws from being extended to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh at that point, he added. In August 2019, the Indian government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories. Today, you can see the benefits of the change that has happened, he said while responding to a ...

Congress slams PM Modi over promise of granting statehood to Ladakh

The Congress on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he has any intention of upholding his "guarantee" to the people of Ladakh on grant of statehood and self governance. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said "since the prime minister has put off his Bhutan photo-ops today, we hope he can devote some time to Ladakh". Modi's visit to Bhutan, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been rescheduled due to inclement weather conditions in the Himalayan nation. "Since February 3rd, when there was a complete shutdown of Ladakh by the locals, the people of Ladakh have been protesting in large numbers against the Modi Sarkar's heavy handed 'rule by bureaucracy,' which has made a mockery of local elected institutions," he said. The courageous environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk has brought the agony of the people of Ladakh to national and global attention, he noted. Posing a set of four questions the people of Ladakh have for the PM, the Congress leader sai

Planning border march to highlight ground reality in Ladakh: Wangchuk

On hunger strike for the past two weeks in support of statehood and constitutional safeguards under sixth schedule for the Union Territory of Ladakh, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Tuesday said they are planning a border march soon to highlight the "ground reality" to the outside world. Wangchuk, a renowned education reformist, has been on climate fast' here since March 6, a day after talks between the joint representatives of Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) heading an agitation in support of four-point demands and the Central government hit a deadlock. On the beginning of day 14 of his climate fast', Wangchuk took to X and said that 250 people slept hungry in minus 12 degrees Celsius to safeguard Ladakh's land, environment and tribal indigenous culture. Our nomads are losing prime pasture land to huge Indian industrial plants to the south & Chinese encroachment to the north. To show the ground reality we're planning a Border March of 10,000 Ladakhi ...

IAF airlifts over 700 stranded passengers between Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh

The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted over 700 stranded passengers between the twin union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh on Saturday, an official said. While 514 passengers were airlifted from Jammu to Leh in two sorties of IL-76, 223 persons were flown from Srinagar to Leh in another sortie, the official said. With this, a total of 1,251 persons were airlifted between Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh this week. Earlier on Monday, 331 passengers were airlifted in separate sorties of AN-32, also known as Kargil courier, by the IAF between Jammu and Kashmir to Kargil. The Kargil courier was launched by the IAF on January 22 following closure of 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway owing to heavy snowfall. The Kargil courier service operates three days a week between Jammu and Srinagar, and twice a week between Srinagar and Kargil to facilitate the stranded passengers. The passengers have expressed their gratitude to all authorities, particularly the IAF, for facilitating

Watched 'Article 370', film shows complexity of problem: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said he has watched the film 'Article 370' with his family at a theatre here, and said the movie shows the "complexity" of the "problem" as well as the "challenging solution". "Today I went to a cinema hall in Delhi with my family and watched the movie 'Article 370'. I heard praise for this film from many people. The film is inspired by true events and presents the events of the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in a very effective manner," Singh said in a post on X in Hindi. "This film shows how complex this problem was and how challenging the solution was and it also presents a good example of women empowerment. I congratulate the producer-director and all the actors of this film for their effective presentation," he wrote. The central government on August 5, 2019, had revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and ...

India, China hold new round of military talks, to maintain peace around LAC

India and China agreed to maintain "peace and tranquillity" on the ground in border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh during a fresh round of high-level military talks earlier this week. However, there was no clear forward movement at Monday's talks in resolution of the more than three-and-half-year lingering row in a number of friction points, people familiar with the matter said. The 21st round of the India-China corps commander level meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on February 19, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "The discussions built on the previous rounds, seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas," it said in a statement. The MEA said the two sides shared their perspectives on the matter in the talks held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. "The two sides have agreed

Ladakh protests: Demands for statehood, inclusion in 6th Schedule amplify

The Centre concurred to thoroughly deliberate the requests for Ladakh's statehood, its incorporation into the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, among other things

Ladakh organises 'world's highest frozen lake marathon' on Pangong Tso

The event was organised with the agenda to bring attention towards the melting Himalayan glaciers, which pose a massive threat to our environment