SRINAGAR: Amid curfew and heightened tensions in Leh following Wednesday’s deadly clashes, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday opened the door to fresh dialogue with Ladakh’s two influential political groups, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), reports appearing in the media said.
Officials said MHA representatives met LAB leaders in Leh and agreed that a preparatory meeting would be held in New Delhi on September 27 or 28, subject to final confirmation by the Ministry. Three representatives each from LAB and KDA, along with Ladakh’s MP, will attend the meeting.
According to a joint statement issued by LAB leaders Thupstan Chhewang and Chering Dorjay, the preparatory round will be followed by an immediate official meeting between the MHA and a High Powered Committee comprising seven members each from LAB and KDA. Though the statement did not list the agenda, statehood for Ladakh and Sixth Schedule status remain central demands, alongside two parliamentary seats for the Union Territory instead of one.
The initiative comes after violent protests in Leh left four civilians dead and 90 injured, prompting the administration to impose curfew and shut down all educational institutions for two days. Protesters had targeted the BJP and Hill Council offices, several vehicles, and clashed with police and paramilitary forces. Authorities are investigating the use of petrol bombs and the role of outsiders, including youth from Nepal and Jammu’s Doda region, in the unrest.
As calm remained fragile, the MHA simultaneously cancelled the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), founded by activist Sonam Wangchuk, citing financial discrepancies and foreign funding against “national interest”. Wangchuk, who has been leading the agitation for Ladakh’s constitutional safeguards, accused the Government of building a case to detain him under the Public Safety Act.
The KDA, however, demanded an impartial probe into the clashes, condemned what it called excessive use of force on protesters, and defended Wangchuk against allegations of provocation. A shutdown was observed in Kargil as prohibitory orders were issued across sensitive areas.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta chaired a high-level security review, calling the violence “heart-wrenching” and the result of a conspiracy, even as the focus shifted to the upcoming talks that could decide the future political course for the Union Territory.
