Leh: Urging Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to reconsider their decision to stay away from talks with the Centre, Ladakh Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday said any matter can be resolved by sitting across the table.
He lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Ladakh situation, alleging that the Congress leader was trying to “vitiate the atmosphere “in the country as he did during the farmers’ agitation and other protests.
With the agitating groups demanding a judicial inquiry into the Septmber 24 violence and the release of detainees, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, the LG said a magisterial probe has already been announced “and it will start very soon”.
A semblance of normalcy was witnessed in curfew-bound Leh town since Tuesday morning after authorities relaxed week-long curbs for seven hours and also ordered the reopening of shops and business establishments.
The relaxation period was further extended by one more hour from 10 am to 6 pm on Wednesday. However, mobile internet services remain suspended, and stringent prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more people are still in effect across much of the Union Territory, including Kargil.
The dialogue between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives, scheduled for October 6, hit a roadblock with both LAB and KDA, which are leading the agitation for statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh, announcing suspension of the talks until a conducive atmosphere is created.
They demanded a judicial probe into the violence and the release of over 50 detainees, including Wangchuk who was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly instigating the violence.
The two outfits have alleged that “highhandedness” by authorities and security forces led to the violence during a shutdown called by a constituent of the LAB.
“The administration has not made the situation worse, nor did we want it to be like this. What led to the violence is a matter of investigation,” the Lt Governor told PTI Videos in an interview here.
“The central government had invited them (LAB and KDA) for talks and they should have gone for prior consultations… Any issue can be settled only by sitting across the table. Only through talks, things become possible,” he said.
He said he had appealed to the people of Ladakh to come forward for talks.
“The administration wants everyone, including youths and religious bodies, to come forward so that we can sit with them and solve all the issues that are on their mind,” he said.
Terming the incidents of violence on September 24 as “tragic and unfortunate”, Gupta said they should not have happened in the first place.
“The administration imposed some restrictions under section 163 of BNSS to improve the situation and ordered the closure of schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.
“The restrictions were initially relaxed for four hours on Tuesday and later extended by three more hours. The restrictions were eased from this morning to evening so that the daily routine of the people is not hindered,” he said.
He said the situation has improved to a large extent and the administration is working to ensure that people do not face any difficulty.
“Our effort is that life should return to normal as before. I think things will be normal in the next couple of days,” he said.
He said the arrests were made in connection with the tragic incident. “Why four people lost their lives is a matter of concern. We have to see that such incidents should not happen again, and, therefore, the culprits have to be investigated for instigating the people.”
On the criticism over the NSA being slapped on Wangchuk, the LG said, “This is a matter of central government. The charges that the MHA has put forward are contained in the shape of a case.
“They (MHA) will talk about it, as I am looking at local issues. The NSA is a matter of the central government.”
On Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the government on the handling of the Ladakh situation, he said, “The country knows what Rahul Gandhi is saying. He is trying to instigate the people and vitiate the atmosphere in the country.”
“His hand is behind farmers’ agitation and similar other protests. He should concentrate more on his own rather than making any attempt to disturb the atmosphere in Ladakh,” he said.
The Lt Governor said the mobile internet service is down because of the prevailing situation and the facility will be restored once the situation is normal.
Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday also reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in the Union Territory (UT), assuring people of lifting in a phased manner of restrictions imposed in the aftermath of last week’s violence.
Gupta has been holding high-level meetings twice daily, one in the morning and another in the evening, for the past week following violent clashes on September 24 that left four people dead and scores of others injured over their agitation demanding grant of statehood to Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The officials brief the Lt Governor on the latest security scenario and the measures undertaken to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Addressing the meetings on Wednesday, the Lt Governor lauded the relentless efforts of the security forces and the civil administration in restoring normalcy over the past week under challenging circumstances.
He also expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation shown by the people of Ladakh.
Reviewing welfare measures, Gupta enquired about the condition of the remaining injured undergoing treatment at the government hospital and directed the administration and hospital authorities to ensure the best possible medical care.
He also directed the Leh deputy commissioner to ensure that the administration provides all possible humanitarian aid and financial support in cases where advanced medical treatment is required outside the UT, so that no individual faces hardship or feels neglected.
Appealing to the citizens, the Lt Governor urged people not to pay heed to rumours or misinformation and assured them that peace and harmony will be safeguarded at all costs.
He emphasised that the administration, along with security forces, is fully committed to maintaining peace, law and order across the UT.
The Lt Governor assured that very soon, all restrictions imposed as precautionary measures will be lifted in a phased manner once the situation fully stabilises.
“Peace and development are the top priorities of the administration. Together, with the cooperation of the people, Ladakh will continue on the path of progress,” he said.
ALHGHA calls for sincere efforts to restore peace in Ladakh
A prominent body of hoteliers and related businesses in Ladakh on Wednesday urged the people of the Union territory and the government to come together to restore peace as well as take steps to protect the fragile environment of the Himalayan region.
The All Ladakh Hotel and Guest House Association (ALHGHA) also called for a judicial inquiry into the killing of four persons in violent clashes in Leh town on September 24.
It said this year has been particularly challenging for the tourism industry in Ladakh.
“The season began with a sharp 50 percent decline in tourist arrivals following the unfortunate Pahalgam incident, and was further disrupted by the unprecedented rains here and in neighbouring states. Now, with this recent tragedy, the crisis has deepened,” the president of ALHAGHA, Rigzin Wangmo Lachic, said in a statement here.
Tourism is the lifeline of Ladakh, and every stakeholder — whether hotels, guest houses, homestays, cafés, restaurants, taxis, or even bike rentals — represents not just individual enterprises but the livelihoods of a major percentage of population, she said.
“Most have built their businesses from scratch with heavy bank loans, and today they stand under immense financial stress. It is therefore imperative that the scale of this economic crisis be taken into account with utmost seriousness by the government,” she said
The Association sincerely hopes for peace to be restored at the earliest, the statement said and urged both the people of Ladakh and the government to come together to make this possible.
“We unequivocally support the people’s demand for safeguards because protecting our land and our rights is inseparable from protecting our livelihoods,” Lachic said.
Lachic said to continue with the current process, without deeper and more inclusive consultations, risks leading to ecological and cultural harm, and could jeopardise the harmony that has long supported both people and nature here.
“At the same time, it is essential to let diversity flourish, to decentralise and strengthen the local economy, and to create more space for the active involvement of local communities. Even within Ladakh, cultures across regions are distinct, and it is this very diversity that must be celebrated and protected,” she said.
She noted that Ladakh’s unique landscape, extreme climatic conditions, and distinct culture are unlike anywhere else in the country.
“This reality does not just call for, but demands, a bottom-up approach to policy: one that ensures the meaningful involvement of local voices and integrates our traditional knowledge systems and indigenous practices into all development plans,'” she said.
Demanding judicial probe into the killing of four persons, she said the events of September 24 have shattered the profound peace of Ladakh and left a wound on the collective soul of its people.
