Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, February 12

Changing faces won’t change the ground situation, said Ladakh leaders as the Centre replaced the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) for the cold desert region on Sunday.

Brigadier BD Mishra (retd) was Governor of Arunachal Pradesh before his appointment as the L-G of Ladakh amid an intensifying agitation by Ladakh people, demanding statehood and special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Want democracy

We want democracy in Ladakh and the federal structure strengthened. Changing faces will not change anything on the ground. Sajjad Hussain Kargili, Leader, Kargil Democratic Alliance

Sajjad Hussain Kargili, a senior leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), said, “We are not against any individual but have been opposing the Centre’s policy on Ladakh. We want democracy in Ladakh to be restored and the federal structure be strengthened. Only changing the faces will not change anything on the ground.”

Former L-G Radha Krishna Mathur, a former defence secretary and ex-Chief Information Commissioner, quietly left his office in Leh on Saturday without revealing the reasons for the sudden decision. His resignation was accepted by the President on Sunday. It is not clear whether Mathur was asked to resign or he chose to quit as Ladakh people have put up a strong resistance against the continuing L-G rule. He was appointed as the first L-G of Ladakh on October 25, 2019. Mathur has spent more time in Delhi than in Leh, alleged political leaders in Ladakh.

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are at the forefront of the agitation, have called for a public meeting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 15 in support of their four major demands which include statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, two Lok Sabha seats and job reservation.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs held unsuccessful talks with the protesting bodies until August. On January 3, the MHA set up a high-powered committee, headed by Union MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai, including nine representatives of the LAB and the KDA, for talks but the two bodies rejected it, saying their agenda and representatives had been not included.

Education reformist Sonam Wangchuk is also expected to join the protest in Delhi.

Demand restoration of statehood

• Leaders are demanding statehood for Ladakh, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, 2 Lok Sabha seats, job reservation.
• The Centre set up a panel for talks but Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance rejected it, saying their demands were not included.