Srinagar: The Congress on Sunday said the “false promises” made by the BJP and the “betrayal” by the Central government under its leadership led to the agitation in Ladakh.
“The agitation is the outcome of the false promises made by the BJP in their manifesto. They had promised the Sixth Schedule (of the Constitution). This agitation is against the betrayal and the unfulfillment of the promises in the last five years,” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Karra said, addressing a press conference here.
He said that had the BJP kept its promises, the situation would not have come to this.
“Rather than engaging them (people of Ladakh), and acknowledging their own (BJP) mistakes and giving a direction to dialogue, they are targeting the Congress. They are trying to shift the blame for their mismanagement and unfulfillment of the promises towards the Congress,” he said.
The protests in support of the demand for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution took a violent turn on September 24, leaving four people dead and many injured.
Following the incident, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been among those leading the protest, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA).
The JKPCC chief said the Congress does not endorse the arson and firing that took place on Wednesday and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims.
To a question about activist Wangchuk’s detention under the NSA, Karra said such a move will not curb the protests there.
“If the Government of India thinks that by arresting Wangchuk and sending him out of the UT, it would curb the violence there, then they are mistaken,” he added.
Terming the issue as “very sensitive” and of national importance, Karra said perhaps the BJP is overlooking the fact that Ladakh is surrounded on two sides by two hostile countries — Pakistan and China.
“China is already inside the Ladakh territory. Sonam and the local MP have also stated that. Rather than giving importance to national security, they are using their ego and their policy of use and throw,” he added.
Karra also said that those who are protesting against the local administration and the central government are the same people who were “used” by the BJP and the Centre to celebrate the abrogation of Article 370.
He also clarified that, currently, Congress has no links with Wangchuk.
Wangchuk’s father used to be a deputy minister in the J&K government in the 1970s, but was suspended from the party in 1987 for anti-party activities, the JKPCC chief said.
“Since then, they have had no relationship with Congress. All the brothers and sisters are working with the BJP. One of Wangchuk’s brothers is a vice president of the BJP’s Leh unit,” he said.
