Prominent civil society figures in Ladakh, actively campaigning for the region’s constitutional protections, voiced strong disapproval on Monday (September 22, 2025) regarding the Union Home Ministry’s ‘unilateral’ decision to schedule talks for October 6. They emphasized that a meeting should have been convened much earlier, especially as a hunger strike by Leh residents has now stretched into its thirteenth day.
Noted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, alongside many local residents in Leh, is currently engaged in a hunger strike, which is slated to last 35 days. Their primary demands are for Ladakh to be granted Statehood and for the Union Territory to be incorporated into the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, thereby conferring tribal status upon the region.
During a virtual press conference held in Leh, Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, who serves as president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and co-convener of the influential Leh Apex Body (LAB) guiding these demonstrations, issued a stark warning. He stated, ‘People are growing impatient, and the situation could soon become unmanageable. While our hunger strike and protests have remained peaceful thus far, history indicates that authorities tend to underestimate us if we don’t apply sufficient pressure. The Ministry’s proposed talks are long overdue; they must occur without further delay.’
Mr. Wangchuk further commented that continued delays in addressing their demands would inevitably impact the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) standing in the forthcoming hill council elections. He asserted, ‘The government might even consider postponing or dissolving the elections, but such actions would be seen as deceitful. The BJP must uphold the commitment it made during the 2020 hill council elections regarding Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule.’
Queried about any prior assurances from Home Ministry officials concerning Ladakh’s Statehood or Sixth Schedule status during previous discussions, Mr. Lakruk confirmed, ‘When the Union Home Secretary visited Leh, he explicitly stated that the subsequent round of talks would prioritize these two crucial issues.’
Mr. Wangchuk highlighted the immense difficulty of sustaining a fast at an elevation of 12,000 feet. He noted that despite the severe risk of dehydration, local participants, including those from remote villages near the Tibetan border, remained resolute in their commitment to the ongoing protest.
He added, ‘The youth wing is prepared to escalate the protest in its own distinct manner. We have been advocating for these changes for five years; in comparison, the Indian Constitution itself was drafted in just two.’
In response to the re-intensified protests across Ladakh, the Ministry extended an invitation on September 20 for the next round of discussions involving the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh, scheduled for October 6. The last such engagement took place on May 27.
Established in 2023, the HPC, under the leadership of Minister of State Nityanand Rai, is currently in discussions with both the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). These talks revolve around the demand for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, a region that was designated a Union Territory in 2019. This change occurred without a Legislative Assembly following the parliamentary abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. Ladakh itself is strategically located along the China border.
Just a year subsequent to its formation as a Union Territory, Ladakh—encompassing the predominantly Buddhist Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil districts—witnessed widespread protests. Civil society leaders vigorously pushed for comprehensive constitutional safeguards, guaranteed job reservations for local inhabitants, and dedicated parliamentary representation, with one seat allocated to each of Leh and Kargil.
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