Ladakh is a place known for its snow-capped peaks and lush grasslands. Rich for its culture and unique heritage, it has awe-inspiring landscapes. However, there have been protests going in Ladakh since March 2024 with Ladakhis demanding for preservation of tribal heritage and constitutional changes to be made in regards to Ladakh rights. Renowned scientist and prominent activist, Sonam Wangchuk fasted for 21 days unto death to advocate for Ladakh people’s rights. The question is when the demands of Ladakh people would be met and how this would affect the people and nation.
To find the answers, let’s delve deeper into Ladakh’s historical and cultural background:
Ladakh, also known as ‘The Land of High Passes,’ has a long and diverse history with evidence of human settlements dating back to 9000 B.C. Ladakh wasn’t considered a separate political entity before the establishment of the kingdom in 950 B.C, post collapse of the early Tibetan empire. The border regions became independent kingdoms under independent rulers, most of whom were direct descendants of the Tibetan royal family.
Ladakh finally annexed to their state (Jammu and Kashmir) in mid 19th century by Zorawar Singh, setting up the course for Dogra rule. Under the Dogra rule, Ladakh was administered as wazarat (administration) which continued until the partition of India in 1947 wherein Hari Singh choose the remain independent and Pakistani soldiers invaded and reached Ladakh.
To get defense assistance from India, Singh was told by Nehru to sign the instrument of accession to India, and military operations were initiated to counter the invasion. The wartime conversion of the pony trail from Sonamarg to ZojiLa by army engineers permitted tanks to move up and successfully capture the pass. Dras, Kargil and Leh were liberated and Ladakh cleared of the infiltrators. However, Leh and Kargil saw violent riots until 1990 when two separate hill councils were made in both districts and Kargil War 1999 saw infiltrators coming to parts of Ladakh which was later cleared off by Indian army.
In February 2019, Ladakh became a separate Revenue and Administrative Division within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of the Kashmir division. As a division, Ladakh was granted its own Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police.
Article 370 and its aftermath:
In August 2019, the Indian Government scrapped Article 370 which granted the right to have its own constitution to Jammu and Kashmir and special administrative rights. It also divided J&K and Ladakh into two different Union Territories.
The move was initially welcomed by Ladakh people but the joy faded away as the concerns arose regarding the region’s democratic marginalization, lack of influence on development projects and militarization of ecologically sensitive areas.
Today, Ladakh leaders say that they have little say in the development projects run by Delhi-administration and have completely lost the political representation in the currency bureaucratic setup. New laws passed by the federal administration that allows outsiders to settle and start businesses in the region has also alarmed locals. Two autonomous bodies formed in the mid-1990s and early 2000s for self-governance in Leh and Kargil have now been stripped of much of their powers. The local bodies known as the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils had a key role in decisions related to healthcare, land and other local issues in the Leh and Kargil districts.These factors led to the beginning of the 2024 ladakh protests.
2024 Ladakh protests:
The protest began on 6th March 2024 after award-winning activist and scientist, Sonam Wangchuk announced 21-day fast unto-death to demand a devolution of power and protection of constitutional rights for Ladakhis to fight against the threat of loss of tribal identity. The demand which people have raised are: Special status and Statehood for Ladakh, Protecting the fragile ‘ecosystem’, Separate parliamentary seats for Ladakh and Kargil, Separate Public Services Commission and Implementation of the Sixth Schedule ( gives local administrative rights to tribal people). The protest is backed by the Apex Body of Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgamation of various political religious bodies. These two groups were formed to represent the people of Leh and Kargil respectively in talks with the High Powered Committee that the Union government set up to address the issues of the Ladakhis. There have been nine rounds of talks between leaders of New Delhi and Ladakh which ended in deadlock.The last meeting held on 4th March 2024 has yielded no concrete result or conclusion.
The plight of Ladakhis seems to be unheard by people and leaders and the situation continues to worsen with time in the beautiful landscape of Ladakh.
The solution and the resolution:
There are various things which can be done to resolve the problems faced by Ladakhis people and ensure that they are living peacefully and their constitutional rights are protected. The things are as followed:
Everyone should start paying immediate attention to the plight of Ladakh people.
- Leaders should visit Ladakh and witness, assess the current situation of the place and assure the people that the problem will be resolved.
- All the leaders and common people irrespective of caste, race, religion and political party affiliation should unite in the effort to bring peace and rights protection in Ladakh.
- A committee constituting the New Delhi, Ladakh leaders, Ladakh people and other citizens should be formed which will work together and bring up a proposal which will help in resolution.
- The proposal should include the immediate implementation of 6th schedule, separate legislation and parliamentary seats, special status and 5 to 10 % allocation of budget money to developmental, ecological and cultural projects in Ladakh. This will fulfill Ladakh people’s demands and bring a peaceful and negotiable resolution between central government and Ladakh people.
- Post drafting of the proposal, it should be presented in both Lok and Rajya Sabha. After approval from both houses and the President, it should be passed as a bill and directly put in and implemented across all places including Ladakh.
These solutions will help in the resolution of problems faced by Ladakh people, maintenance the relationship between Ladakh people and the central government and benefit of Ladakh people who are an important part of our diverse and united nation.
To conclude, Ladakh is a place known for its panoramic views, stunning landscapes and culture. Measures are being taken by the government for preservation of culture and development of Ladakh with one of them being abrogation of Article 370 and 35a. However, the abrogation ended up increasing the problems faced by Ladakhis and concerns regarding tribal identity threat and underrepresention of people has led to people taking up to streets, demanding for safeguard of constitutional rights. There is an urgent need of paying attention to their plight and working upon resolving those problems. The decision-making power is with citizens and we must work together to preserve culture and ensure that people of Ladakh have access to all facilities and their rights are protected and safeguard by the Constitution of India. Remember, Unity in Diversity is the real power of our country.