SRINAGAR: The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has announced a half-day strike and a protest march scheduled for March 20 in Kargil. Their primary demands include statehood for Ladakh and the implementation of the sixth schedule.
The KDA, comprising various political, religious, and social organisations, has also expressed solidarity with innovator and renowned education reformist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike in Leh for 12 days advocating for the same causes.
In a post on X, Wangchuk criticised the government’s handling of Ladakh, labelling it as a denial of democratic rights.
“This Government likes to call India the ‘Mother of Democracy’. But if India denies democratic rights to people of Ladakh & continues to keep it under bureaucrats controlled from New Delhi then it could only be called a Stepmother of Democracy as far as Ladakh is concerned,” Wangchuk wrote on X.
Talks between the KDA and the Central government on March 6 failed to yield results, leading to the decision for the strike. KDA co-chairman Qamar Ali Akhoon stated that the strike decision was made during a meeting and that they would update the public on the government negotiations.
KDA has scheduled a protest march March 20 morning from Fatimiya Chowk to Hussaini Park, where a protest gathering will be addressed by the representatives.
Formed after Ladakh became a separate Union territory in 2019, the LAB and KDA have been advocating for the region’s rights through various protests and meetings. Despite submitting a detailed list of demands to the Ministry of Home Affairs in January, subsequent meetings have failed to produce tangible outcomes.
