Delegation of Leh Apex Body, Kargil Democratic Alliance to meet MoS Home

Ganderbal: After 21 months of the stalled dialogue between Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of social, political, trade, students and religious groups from Ladakh, their six member delegation will meet the MoS Home Nityanand Rai in Delhi on June 19th.

Six representatives who will proceed to New Delhi to attend June 19 meeting are senior politician from Ladakh Thupstan Chhewang, a two-time Lok Sabha member from Ladakh, Chering Dorjey and Nawang Rigzin Jora, both former cabinet ministers in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, all from LAB besides senior leader Qamar Ali Akhoon, a former Cabinet Minister in previous J&K Government, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie, ex MLA and Sajjad Kargili, prominent social-political activist from Kargil and representative of Anjuman Isna Asharia Kargil, all from KDA.

The dialogue between MHA and representatives of Ladakh are resuming after 21 months. Last official talks between MHA and representatives of the two bodies were held in Leh on August 29, 2021. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had held the talks.

Addressing a press conference, LAB chairman Thupstan Chhewang announced that three members each from LAB and KDA will go to New Delhi to meet the Union MoS Home who has invited them for talks.

The delegation was jointly finalised by LAB and KDA. They said they will take up four point agenda during the talks including full-fledged Statehood for Ladakh, Constitutional Safeguards under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, early recruitment process and Public Services Commission (PSC) for Ladakh and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.