JAMMU, Sept 4: In a major development ahead of September 9 talks called by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) today threatened to intensify agitation very forcefully in Ladakh if the talks were not “positive and result-oriented” on Legislature and Article 371 which were announced in May 22 meeting. LAB chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk describing yesterday’s announcement of talks by the MHA as “good” said the Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) welcome the talks but want them to be “positive” if the MHA is serious in resolving their issues.
“They (the MHA) should come out with something very concrete on UT level Legislature body and Article 371 which they had committed during May 22 meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) held in New Delhi,” Lakruk said, adding the meeting should be result-oriented.
Otherwise, he warned, they will be left with no option but to intensify their agitation very forcefully.
Lakruk said they will not disclose their mode of agitation but added that they have many plans and will reveal them from time-to-time if there is no progress in September 9 talks.
Sonam Wangchuk, another LAB leader and climate activist, announced that the padyatra proposed from Kargil to Leh on September 10 in which participants from New Delhi were also expected, has been postponed in view of meeting convened by the MHA on September 9 in New Delhi.
However, he too warned that if there is not much progress in the meeting and the talks failed or delaying tactics are adopted, they will step-up their agitation forcefully.
“It’s time now to implement decisions taken in May 22 HPC meeting held in New Delhi by the Government of India,” Wangchuk said, adding if the talks fail they plan to hold separate padyatras.
Wangchuk said they are confident that the Government will come out with draft on Assembly and our rights in the meeting if they have to make the meeting successful. Also we expect compensation for September 24 agitation victims and withdrawal of all cases, he added.
Lakruk said the inquiry ordered into September 24, 2025 violence in Leh in which four civilians were killed and many others were injured has still not been completed and the Commission is yet to submit its report.
Referring to Jantar Mantar agitation by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Lakruk said the Government has withdrawn all cases against the protesters and they welcome the decision but wanted to know why double-standards have been adopted in Ladakh where many people who participated in September 24, 2025 violence are still in jail.
“Our people were not carrying anything in their hands. Police used AK-47 rifles indiscriminately on the agitationists but only 25 cases have been withdrawn so far while rest are in the courts,” Lakruk said.
In May 22 HPC meeting, chaired by Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai, an in-principle agreement was reached to grant Ladakh a UT-level elected body with legislative, financial and executive powers and seven District Autonomous Councils.
An understanding was also reached in the same meeting on restoring democracy in Ladakh and providing Constitutional safeguards on the lines of Article 371 A, F, and G (as applied to Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram) in May 22 meeting in New Delhi.
However, no draft document unveiling broad contours of the UT-level body like its name, total number of elected persons, powers of the chief, vice chief and those in the rank of Ministers etc has been released by the MHA so far.
