<p>Srinagar: Nearly two months after Leh was rocked by deadly violence, killing four civilians and injuring dozens, Ladakh’s two powerful civil society blocs — the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) — have shifted from street pressure to structured negotiation.<br></p><p>The groups have now finalised a fresh joint charter of demands for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), marking the first concrete movement since tensions erupted in September.<br></p><p>The document, prepared after a round of talks held late last month, is set to be emailed to the MHA on Sunday and will be made public soon after. The Centre had asked the twin bodies to submit a detailed written draft before the next meeting, reviving a dialogue that had stalled for months.<br></p><p>LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk said the new draft was finalised after several internal consultations. “After several rounds of talks within the LAB and then with the KDA, the document has been drafted. It is a joint draft from Leh and Kargil,” he told reporters.<br></p><p>According to sources, the revised document outlines four principal demands: statehood for Ladakh, Sixth Schedule constitutional safeguards, release of all detainees arrested after the September 24 violence, and statutory guarantees for political representation, land rights, jobs, and cultural protection.<br></p><p>The groups have framed these demands in the context of deepening public anxiety since Ladakh’s separation from Jammu & Kashmir and its conversion into a Union Territory on August 5, 2019.<br></p><p>A major emphasis in the draft is the fallout from the September clashes, which the groups say exposed the fragility of institutional trust in Ladakh. The detention of renowned climate-activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose arrest drew national and international attention, is referenced as an incident that crystallised fears over civil liberties and the handling of dissent. LAB and KDA argue that all detainees must be released to create a “neutral and fair atmosphere” before any political settlement can move forward.<br></p><p>The submission follows the October 22 Sub Committee meeting in New Delhi, attended by senior MHA officials, the UT Ladakh administration, representatives of LAB and KDA, the Ladakh MP and the chairpersons of both Hill Councils. This was the first meeting in nearly five months; the earlier round was held on May 27. During the October talks, the Centre asked the two bodies to articulate their demands in a detailed written form for further deliberation.<br></p><p>Officials said the MHA is expected to schedule the next meeting after examining the document. For both LAB and KDA, this round carries heightened urgency, not only because of the lives lost in Leh but also due to rising fears over demographic change, shrinking local job opportunities, and the absence of constitutional safeguards.</p>
<p>Srinagar: Nearly two months after Leh was rocked by deadly violence, killing four civilians and injuring dozens, Ladakh’s two powerful civil society blocs — the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) — have shifted from street pressure to structured negotiation.<br></p><p>The groups have now finalised a fresh joint charter of demands for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), marking the first concrete movement since tensions erupted in September.<br></p><p>The document, prepared after a round of talks held late last month, is set to be emailed to the MHA on Sunday and will be made public soon after. The Centre had asked the twin bodies to submit a detailed written draft before the next meeting, reviving a dialogue that had stalled for months.<br></p><p>LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakruk said the new draft was finalised after several internal consultations. “After several rounds of talks within the LAB and then with the KDA, the document has been drafted. It is a joint draft from Leh and Kargil,” he told reporters.<br></p><p>According to sources, the revised document outlines four principal demands: statehood for Ladakh, Sixth Schedule constitutional safeguards, release of all detainees arrested after the September 24 violence, and statutory guarantees for political representation, land rights, jobs, and cultural protection.<br></p><p>The groups have framed these demands in the context of deepening public anxiety since Ladakh’s separation from Jammu & Kashmir and its conversion into a Union Territory on August 5, 2019.<br></p><p>A major emphasis in the draft is the fallout from the September clashes, which the groups say exposed the fragility of institutional trust in Ladakh. The detention of renowned climate-activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose arrest drew national and international attention, is referenced as an incident that crystallised fears over civil liberties and the handling of dissent. LAB and KDA argue that all detainees must be released to create a “neutral and fair atmosphere” before any political settlement can move forward.<br></p><p>The submission follows the October 22 Sub Committee meeting in New Delhi, attended by senior MHA officials, the UT Ladakh administration, representatives of LAB and KDA, the Ladakh MP and the chairpersons of both Hill Councils. This was the first meeting in nearly five months; the earlier round was held on May 27. During the October talks, the Centre asked the two bodies to articulate their demands in a detailed written form for further deliberation.<br></p><p>Officials said the MHA is expected to schedule the next meeting after examining the document. For both LAB and KDA, this round carries heightened urgency, not only because of the lives lost in Leh but also due to rising fears over demographic change, shrinking local job opportunities, and the absence of constitutional safeguards.</p>