Over 100 volunteers, led by renowned innovator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, began a foot march to the national capital on Sunday. Their aim is to urge the Centre to resume stalled negotiations with Ladakh’s leadership on a four-point agenda.
The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra,’ organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), seeks to reinvigorate the agitation that has been ongoing for four years.
Their demands include statehood for Ladakh, an extension of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, a streamlined recruitment process with a dedicated public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for the Leh and Kargil districts.
The discussions between Ladakh representatives and the Central government concluded in March without any definitive results.
As chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘we want Sixth Schedule’ rang out, LAB chairman Thupstan Chhewang launched the march from NDS Memorial Park. Sonam Wangchuk expressed hope that the government would deliver positive news when they reach Delhi on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
“It is a matter of satisfaction that people from all sections of the society, including elders, women and youngsters, have joined this march in support of our demands…Sixth schedule of the Constitution and UT with legislature is our democratic right as we want development and management of the region in accordance with our wishes and aspirations,” said Wangchuk, who earlier in March held a 21-day long hunger strike in support of the demands.
He stated that this is a people’s movement and urged the government to meet the demands of the Ladakhis without hesitation.
“We are sharing borders with Pakistan and China who may be boasting of their technology but I want to tell my country that Indians should be proud of the people of Ladakh who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation,” he said.