Sonam Wangchuk Climate Fast: on one side of the country Lok Sabha Elections There is excitement regarding 2024, while on the other hand, some demands are gaining momentum in Ladakh including giving statehood to this Union Territory and inclusion of the Sixth Schedule.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike in Leh for several days for her demands regarding Ladakh, which she has named Climate Fast. Hundreds of people are seen in his support.
Tuesday (26 March) is the 21st day of Sonam Wangchuk’s fast. When he started the fast on March 6, he had said that due to the elections in the country, he would do it in phases of 21 days each, until the government listens to the voice of Ladakh.
At the same time, on Sunday (24 March), Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) also started a three-day hunger strike at Hussaini Park in Kargil, which will end on Tuesday evening. While giving the latest update regarding her campaign, Sonam Wangchuk said that till now not a single word has come from the government.
According to Sonam Wangchuk, in 20 days, about 60 thousand people sat on fast in Leh and Kargil, whereas Ladakh has a population of three lakhs. He said that you can understand how much pain there is among the people on these issues of protection and democracy.
In her video message released on social media platform In this he showed underlining the promise of the Sixth Schedule. He also showed the BJP’s manifesto for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council elections 2020, in which the promise of the Sixth Schedule is visible.
Let us know in detail what are the demands of Sonam Wangchuk and the organizations involved in the protests regarding Ladakh and what is the reaction of the government on this.
What is Sonam Wangchuk demanding regarding Ladakh?
Sonam Wangchuk demands that Ladakh should get statehood and also it should be included in the Sixth Schedule. He is demanding separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts. Their demand is that local people should get special land and job rights in Ladakh. He is also demanding the establishment of Public Service Commission.
They have expressed concerns over the sensitivity of Ladakh’s ecosystem due to industrial exploitation currently taking place under the status of a Union Territory.
Let us tell you that on the first day of ABP Network’s major program ‘Ideas of India Summit 3.0’, Sonam Wangchuk talked about the dangers of mining in the mountains. He had said that melting of glaciers due to pollution will make life difficult not only in the mountains but also for people in big cities because two billion people live directly or indirectly on the glaciers of the Himalayas and Hindu Kush.
He had said that the purity of water sources should be maintained. He had appealed to the people to live a simple life in big cities so that people can live a simple life in the mountains also.
What is the sixth schedule, in which demand is being raised to include Ladakh?
the central government In August 2019, Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir and the state was divided into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Ladakh has been recognized as a union territory without legislature. Union territories like New Delhi and Puducherry have their own legislative assemblies.
Ever since Ladakh was made a Union Territory, local organizations had raised the demand that Ladakh be included under the Sixth Schedule. This schedule contains provisions relating to the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
If Ladakh is included in the Sixth Schedule, it will allow it to form Autonomous District and Area Councils (ADCs and ARCs), which are elected bodies with the power to administer tribal areas. This would include the power to make laws on subjects such as forest management, agriculture, administration of villages and towns, inheritance, marriage, divorce and social customs.
Most of the population in Ladakh belongs to Scheduled Tribes. ADCs and ARCs may also constitute village councils or courts to adjudicate disputes between Scheduled Tribe parties and appoint officials to supervise the administration of laws made on their behalf. In cases where offenses are punishable with death penalty or imprisonment for more than five years, the Governor of the State may empower ADCs and ARCs to prosecute under the criminal and civil laws of the country.
The Sixth Schedule empowers ARCs and ADCs to collect land revenue, impose taxes, lend money and regulate trade, collect royalties from licenses or leases for the extraction of minerals in their areas, and establish public facilities such as schools, markets and roads. It also gives strength.
What is the government’s reaction?
The central government has constituted a high-powered committee under the leadership of Minister of State (Home Affairs) Nityanand Rai to address the demands of Ladakh. According to news agency ANI, A six-member delegation from the Union Territory of Ladakh, Apex Body, Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on March 4.
The Home Ministry had said in its statement that The meeting was held cordially and progress was made on various issues related to land, employment and constitutional safeguards for the benefit of the people of Ladakh.
The Home Ministry had said that the Home Minister assured that the High Powered Committee constituted on Ladakh to consider the demands of ABL and KDA is discussing the modalities of providing such constitutional safeguards.
According to the Home Ministry, the Home Minister had said that the advisory mechanism established through this high-powered committee On issues such as measures to protect the unique culture and language of the region, security of land and employment, inclusive growth and employment generation, empowerment of LAHDCs and examination of constitutional safeguards for positive outcomes. Must continue to engage.
Earlier on February 24, representatives of Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance had held a meeting with Home Ministry officials.
According to a report in The Hindu, during these discussions, the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance jointly proposed granting statehood to Ladakh, including tribal status to it in the Sixth Schedule, creating jobs for local residents. Pushed for reservation and allocation of parliamentary seats for Leh and Kargil.
Former BJP MP Thupstan Chhewang also serves as the chief of LBA. He led these dialogues, advocating constitutional safeguards for the region.
According to news agency PTI, on Sunday (March 24), KDA co-chairman Asghar Ali Karbalai had said that unfortunately, after five rounds of talks with the Home Ministry, the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) had told on March 4 that he Some constitutional safeguards will be given, but the benefits of statehood and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution will not be given.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the Union Home Minister in a meeting with representatives of Ladakh recently Amit Shah Had offered to increase security like Article 371 in this area.
Home Minister Shah had reportedly assured the Ladakh delegation that the government would ensure representation and participation of local people through hill councils and was ready to provide up to 80 percent reservation in public employment.
What facility will be provided by Article 371?
Articles 371 and 371-A to J make special provisions for specific states, often to give representation to certain religious and social groups and to allow these groups to exercise autonomy over their affairs without interference from state and central governments. Allow to do.
The special provisions under Article 371 will allow enhanced security for the local population of Ladakh, while curtailing the broad autonomy provided to ADCs and ARCs under the Sixth Schedule.
