Kargil: Minister of State Home Nityanand Rai, who is in Leh for an outreach programme has invited Apex body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance for a joint meeting amid the latter’s call for a Ladakh bandh today.
The Apex body Leh and KDA — amalgams of various political, social, religious and students organisations in respective twin districts, had called for the shutdown today against the delay in the deliberations and talks by the Ministry of Home Affairs with their leadership regarding their demands including full statehood to Ladakh, recruitment policy with a resident certificate on the pattern of PRC, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts, and constitutional safeguards under 6th Schedule or Article 371.
Consequently, a complete ‘bandh’ was observed in twin districts of Leh and Kargi with all the transport, merchant, other groups supporting the call given by the Apex body Leh and KDA.
KDA member, Sajjad Kargili said that they have been invited for a meeting by MoS Home Nityanand Rai in Leh at 12:45 pm on Saturday.
The two groups in Leh and Kargil already had agreed on 4-point agenda, which includes full statehood to Ladakh, recruitment policy with a resident certificate on the pattern of PRC, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts, and constitutional safeguards under 6th Schedule or Article 371.
Addressing a news conference after meeting the MoS Home, the leaders of two groups as per news agency KNO said that the meeting with the minister was held in a very cordial manner and the leadership conveyed to the government their four-point agenda which is already in the public domain.
Qambar Ali Akhoon, the former minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and the co-chairman of KDA said that people of both the districts have supported them and observed a complete shutdown on their call.
Akhoon said that “some vested interests are not happy with the unity of the leaders of Kargil and Leh and want to split us by not inviting the prominent faces for the crucial meetings but all those individually invited from time to time have rejected them by reposing their faith in two groups including KDA and Apex body.
“We have raised our four-point demand which includes statehood, job policy (as no recruitment has taken place in the past two years as a result of which the youth are suffering), constitutional and land safeguards beside the separate Member Parliament for twin districts,” he said.
He informed that the MoS Home assured that all these points raised will be discussed in times to come.
“We have also urged them to hold the next round of meeting in Kargil so that local issues are also discussed,” Akhoon said.
Asgar Karbalai, the former MLA and co-chairman of KDA said that the MoS Home has assured that a joint committee will be formed within the next one month and a meeting will be held. Besides, the minister also assured our delegation that a recruitment policy will be framed very soon for the youth of the region.
The Apex Body chairman Thupstan Chewnag in a brief media interaction echoed similar views, highlighting the assurances given by the MoS Home.
