Ladakh protests| Congress demands judicial probe

Ladakh Congress chief Nawang Rigzin Jora said the situation could have been "handled with a little more restraint, patience and maturity".

New Delhi: Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of four youth during protests in Ladakh two days ago, as it condemned the “harsh and repressive measures, including firing on protesters”.

Ladakh Congress president Nawang Rigzin Jora wrote to Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta on Thursday and said the party "strongly feels" that the situation could have been "handled with a little more restraint, patience and maturity".

He said he was approaching the Ladakh LG with a “heavy heart and deep sorrow” but in the “interest of justice and fair play” demanded a judicial inquiry into the “unfortunate incident”, even as he condemned the violence resorted to by the protesters.

“There is a lot of blame game going around. Some of these are targeting Congress Councillors for leading the mob on the basis of a purported photograph. Nothing can be further from the truth. We challenge the administration on this count,” he said.

The Congress leader was referring to allegations by the BJP that party councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag was behind the violence citing a man in a video footage. Four protesters were killed in police firing and at least 54 injured during protests and vandalising of BJP and government buildings.

Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera said they will be proceeding with legal recourse and criminal proceedings against BJP leaders and “some anchors and social media influencers” who were showing a picture and footage misrepresenting Tsepag.

Jora also said another councillor has been blamed for inciting protest through a press conference on September 23 where he “resorted to some emotional rhetoric”.

“This was understandable as two of the people who were on hunger strike for the last 14 days who had to be evacuated to the hospital in critical condition were from his constituency,” he said.