: MHA sets up MoS Home-led Ladakh Panel without mention of 6th Schedule, Statehood #IndiaNEWS #Todays story LAB, KDA call joint meet in Jammu on Jan 7 to discuss order *17-member Comm include LG, MP,

MHA sets up MoS Home-led Ladakh Panel without mention of 6th Schedule, Statehood #IndiaNEWS #Todays story
LAB, KDA call joint meet in Jammu on Jan 7 to discuss order
*17-member Comm include LG, MP, CECs of Hill Councils
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 3: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today set up a High Powered Committee (HPC) headed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai to discuss long-pending issues of Ladakh but it skipped direct reference to Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and made no mention of Statehood to Ladakh and two Parliamentary seats, three main demands of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) which have been agitating for last one and a half years now.
The LAB and KDA have called their joint meeting in Jammu on January 7 to discuss the MHA order and decide future course of action. As of now, they havent suspended their agitation but will take a call on this in January 7 meeting.
An MHA order said the HPC will discuss measures to protect the regions unique culture and language taking into consideration its geographical location and strategic importance, ensure protection of land and employment for the people of Ladakh, discuss measures for inclusive development and employment generation and measures related to empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) of Leh and Kargil.
While first item in the order referred to discussion on measures to protect regions unique culture and language taking into consideration geographical location and strategic importance which indirectly refers to Fifth or Sixth schedule of Constitution but there was no direct mention of debate on any of the two schedules.
Moreover, the order has no mention of discussion on Statehood for Ladakh and grant of two Parliamentary seats as against present one.
Grant of Sixth Schedule, Statehood and two Parliamentary seats to Ladakh are major demands of the LAB and KDA which have launched various phases of agitation together during past about one and a half years.
LAB chairman and two-time Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang told the Excelsior that the LAB and KDA have called a joint meeting of their leaders on January 7 in Jammu to debate the MHA order and give their reaction.
On no direct reference to grant of Sixth Schedule status and Statehood to Ladakh in the order, Chhewang said all this will be agenda of the meeting and they will jointly discuss their strategy.
Another row has erupted over the order on the inclusion of Tsewang Nurboo in the HPC mentioning him as president of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) Kargil.
A handout issued by the LBA Kargil said Norboo is not the president of LBA Kargil. It said Skarma Dadul is recognised president of the LBA Kargil and he should be included in the Committee instead of Tsewang Norboo.

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