Jammu, Feb 28:  Adoption of a new emblem and flag by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh has snowballed into a major political controversy with National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describing it “mischief” and “unfortunate”.
 In his inimitable manner, National Conference leader, Mustafa Kamal minced no words to take on the Congress for playing “mischief” with the state and his party (NC), saying; “They (Congress) still are on the path of playing mischief and letting us (NC) down as they have done in the past on several crucial occasions.”
 He made these remarks while interacting with media outside the Assembly complex here. LAHDC, Leh, in a unanimous resolution passed last week, had adopted the symbol with the Ashoka Pillar which almost resembles the national emblem. The Council is already using a separate flag.
 “It was the mischief when this Hill Development Council was created in 1995 and now changing the emblem is yet another mischief. They (LHDC leaders) have almost declared the area as a separate region of J&K,” Kamal remarked.
 He said, “The Congress must make its intentions clear. They still are on the path of playing mischief by letting us down as it did in the past.”
 The NC leader, however, made it clear that the move does not affect the unity of the state in anyway. “Though it has given the wrong signal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as it has raised the signal of a separate region of J&K, yet it does not affect the unity of the state and they (LAHDC) will not take Ladakh away from Jammu and Kashmir.”
 “We are examining the legal as well as other aspects but personally speaking there was no necessity of any separate emblem,” he remarked.  
 Kamal said LAHDC Leh was created in 1995 at a time when there was no elected government in the state. “It was created by the then Governor under the Central rule which was itself a constitutionally wrong step. Politically, it was the wrong move by the Central government at that time which had vested interest of dividing the state on regional lines,” he added.
 He also differentiated between the creation of LAHDC, Kargil and Leh, saying the former was created by the elected government.
  “It will be good for them (LADHC councillors) to review the decision. We have the authority to cancel the Hill Development Council if it does not withdraw its resolution,” Kamal said.
 “Nobody can reject the state’s emblem or flag.  Individual decisions hardly matter,” was the one-line response from the Minister for Law Ali Muhammad Sagar, on the issue.
 Main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the move to discard the state emblem by LAHDC as “unfortunate.”
 “The LAHDC decision is very unfortunate. If BJP or Ladakh Union Territory Front has adopted the resolution it could be understood as they have their own agendas. Since the decision was made by the Council controlled by the Congress, which always advocates integrity of the state, it is most regrettable.” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said.
 “Nobody is undermining the state flag or emblem. They had already a logo and they have just changed it,” Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, who is a Congress leader, from Leh said.
 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it would fully endorse the demand of Ladakh people for Union Territory. “We fully support the people of Ladakh on their demand for Union Territory status to Ladakh region,” BJP MLA, Ashok Khajuria said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST