Govt doesn't allow us to raise issues in Parliament, says Rahul Gandhi

Responding to the phone tapping case, Rahul said that even in the Pegasus case, the government did not allow discussion in the House

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Credit: Screengrab of YouTube video/@Sansad TV

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday threw his weight behind the demand for statehood for Ladakh and sought to raise it in Lok Sabha but his notice for his adjournment motion for a discussion on the issue was not allowed.

Rahul had submitted the notice, "statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in Schedule VI of the Constitution of India. To constitute a committee with stakeholders, including members from the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) to consider their demands and to take urgent actions to ensure unhindered access to pasture lands in the border areas that were traditionally accessible".

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Rahul told reporters that he wanted to raise the issue of Ladakh and the struggle "my brothers and sisters" are going through asking for their rights.

"I wanted to support them and raise their issue in Parliament. Unfortunately, the government does not allow us to raise issues. So I want to send a message to everybody in Ladakh, we are with you and we are going to raise your issue," he said.

"I want to tell all the people of Ladakh. ‘Daro mat’ (Don't be afraid). Whatever is yours, you will get," he added

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The Congress leader's intervention comes as Ladakh observed a shutdown following a call from the Apex Body and KDA on December 13 demanding statehood for Ladakh, protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, filling of 12,000 vacancies, and allocation of two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat.

Earlier, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, who is from the BJP, sought constitutional safeguards by amending the Ladakh Autonomous Hill District Council (LAHDC) Act so that it that would clarify the role of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lieutenant Governor, and urban and rural panchayats vis-a-vis the two councils of Leh and Kargil.

There is also a vociferous demand for the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which protects tribal communities by providing autonomy to them by setting up Autonomous Development Councils to decide on laws on land, health and agriculture among others. At present, there are 10 autonomous councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

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