Srinagar, Mar 20: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the protesting people of Ladakh who are demanding Sixth Schedule status for the region. He urged the government to heed their voices and address their grievances promptly.
In a statement issued here, Tarigami said while a faction of society in Leh was demanding Union Territory status for Ladakh and celebrated it later, but now they have acknowledged the drawbacks and were expressing a preference for Constitutional guarantees for their empowerment.
“We never desired for Ladakh to be separated from Jammu and Kashmir but it happened abruptly against our wishes. Today, there is a unified call for Constitutional guarantees under the Sixth Schedule. We share a common history and concerns for Ladakh, resonating deeply with the aspirations of its people. It’s imperative for the government of India to heed their voices and address their grievances promptly,” he said.
The charter of demands of Apex Body of Leh and Kargil Development Alliance (KDA) include safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, a Constitutional provision safeguarding tribal culture as 90 per cent of population in this region is tribal. Other demands were protection of rights of land and jobs.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir stand in solidarity with Ladakh, advocating for democratic rights and Constitutional assurances. We urge the Government of India to recognise that these artificial lines cannot divide us and the arbitrary divisions imposed on August 5, 2019 cannot fracture our unity,” the CPI(M) leader said.
Braving sub-zero temperatures, renowned and widely respected environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk is on hunger strike for these concerns. ”We express our solidarity with the people of Ladakh in support of their genuine demands,” Tarigami added.
