Leh, 06 July: On Sunday, two prominent leaders resigned from the Leh Apex Body (LAB), who are engaged in conversation with the Center on their four-point agenda with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which includes it in the sixth program of the state and the constitution for Ladakh.
Lab president Thupeston Chhewang and senior Congress leader Naveen Rigzin Jora announced their resignation separately, later clearly clarified that when he steps back personally, his party will remain part of the group.
“Since going away from electoral politics, I have constantly disturbed myself from biased and individual agenda. Keeping this stance in mind. I have resigned as the chairman and member of the (Leh) Apex Body by it, as well as from the High Power Committee (HPC).
Chhewang, a former member of the Parliament, who left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2018, said, “I do not like to get involved in competitive interests.
In his letter addressed to the president of the lab, Jora said that he is taking himself back from the sub-committee which is scheduled to attend meetings in the coming days and also from HPC officials with Home Ministry officials.
Jora said in his resignation letter, “The Congress party will remain a part of the top body and supports every effort towards achieving our avoiding objective (sixth schedule and statehood) and criticizes people going against it.”
In addition to the inclusion of state and Ladakh in the sixth schedule, lab and KDA were also agitating for reservation for jobs for locals and two parliamentary seats for the region.
On June 3, the BJP-led Center announced new reservation and dominance policies for Ladakh, burnt 85 percent of jobs for local people and announced a 33-per cent percent quota for women in autonomous hill development councils.
The government has also created official languages of English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi of Ladakh, but said that English will continue for all the official objectives of the center area, for which it was being used before the date of starting this regulation.
The announcement came on the heels of a meeting of HPC, a meeting of HPC, president of the Union Minister of Center Nitanand Rai at New Delhi on 27 May. According to the Lab and KDA leadership, the issues were finalized in the meeting.
Keeping in mind its geographical location and strategic importance, the Ministry of Home Affairs had formed HPC to discuss the necessary measures to protect the unique culture and language of the region.
In August 2024, the Center formed five new districts in the Center area – Zanskar, Drus, Sham, Nubra and Changthang. (PTI)