New Delhi, Sept 29: The Union Home Ministry on Monday reiterated that the Centre remains open to talks with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Ladakh-related issues and expressed confidence that sustained dialogue would deliver the desired outcomes.
The statement came after the LAB announced it would stay away from negotiations until normalcy is restored and a conducive atmosphere is created in Ladakh. The body said it would reconsider returning to the table if the “right steps are taken before the scheduled next round of talks on October 6.”
The Home Ministry emphasised that the government has always welcomed discussions with LAB and KDA, whether through the High Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh or any other platform. “The dialogue mechanism established with LAB and KDA through the HPC has yielded positive results, including increased reservations for Scheduled Tribes in Ladakh, women’s reservation in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), and protection for local languages,” the statement said.
It further noted that recruitment for 1,800 government posts in the Union Territory has already commenced, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring development while maintaining continuous engagement with local representatives.
The announcement follows the September 24 violent protests in Leh, triggered by a shutdown called by the LAB to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. Four people were killed and scores injured in clashes with security forces, while over 50 individuals were detained. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, the main face of the agitation, was taken into custody under the National Security Act (NSA).
After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre had on September 20 invited both LAB and KDA for discussions, aiming to address their longstanding demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards.
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