SRINAGAR: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended an invitation to the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for the next round of talks on July 28, but the two key groups from Ladakh have rejected the proposal, calling the date “too late” and urging for a meeting around July 15 to prevent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from beginning his proposed 35-day hunger strike.
Speaking to Excelsior over the phone from Leh, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook confirmed that the MHA’s invitation was relayed through the Chief Secretary of Ladakh but said the proposed date “is not acceptable to us as it will delay the talks unnecessarily.”
“We have suggested to the administration that the meeting be convened around July 15, the day Wangchuk has announced the start of his hunger strike, so that meaningful dialogue can help persuade him to call it off,” Lakrook said. He added that the MHA has yet to respond to the request.
Lakrook pointed out that the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama is scheduled to arrive in Leh on July 12, making July 15 or 16 a feasible window for the talks. “We’ve communicated this to the Centre through the Chief Secretary, and we’re hopeful that the date will be brought forward,” he said.
In a related development, the LAB convened a key meeting in Leh today under Lakrook’s chairmanship and unanimously decided to nominate Wangchuk as its official representative in the High Powered Committee (HPC) and Sub-Committee formed by the MHA for negotiations. Wangchuk, long considered a symbolic figure in Ladakh’s environmental and political movements, was formally inducted into the Apex Body, with members lauding his dedication to the region’s cause.
The meeting came in the wake of the resignation of LAB chairman and HPC member Thupstan Chhewang, who stepped down from all roles yesterday. LAB members visited Chhewang at his residence to convey a “strong and united message” urging him to reconsider. While he did not rescind his resignation, Chhewang told the delegation that he would reflect and respond at an appropriate time.
The Apex Body also addressed the resignation of Ladakh Congress president and LAB member Nawang Rigzin Jora from the HPC and Sub-Committee. Jora, however, assured the meeting of his continued support to LAB and reaffirmed his respect for Chhewang’s leadership.
The most recent HPC meeting was held in New Delhi on May 27 under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, where issues like reservation and domicile were resolved. The focus has now shifted to core demands—statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The LAB and KDA, operating under a joint four-point agenda, have been in formal negotiations with the Centre via the HPC and its Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee is led by senior officials from the MHA, while the HPC is chaired by Nityanand Rai.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, who visited Ladakh on June 30 and July 1, met LAB representatives and assured them of an early meeting. However, with the proposed date now pushed to July 28, local leaders fear that momentum could be lost and civil society unrest may rise.
The demand for an earlier meeting now rests with the MHA, as tensions in Ladakh simmer around a growing public movement spearheaded by Wangchuk.
