Srinagar: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a high-powered committee headed by Minister of State Nityanand Rai to “ensure protection of land and employment” for the people of Ladakh.
The committee has been also tasked with discussing measures for inclusive development and employment generation in the region and issues related to empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill District Councils of Leh and Kargil.
Before the MHA notified the committee on January 2, the influential Apex Body for Leh, and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), was scheduled to meet in Jammu on January 7, which would have been followed by a protest and a meeting with all political leaders. A member said the meeting would take place as planned to discuss the future course of action on the role and scope of committee.
The civil society and political groups in Ladakh have been demanding inclusion under the sixth schedule of the Constitution to protect land, employment and cultural identity of Ladakh. The schedule protects tribal populations providing autonomy to the communities through creation of autonomous development councils which can frame laws on land, public health, agriculture. As of now 10 autonomous councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
The 17-member committee that’s headed by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and includes Lt Governor of Ladakh UT Radha Krishna, MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Chairman of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh, Chairman of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil, Joint Secretary MHA, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs, Director, Deputy Secretary MHA, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and one nominated member from MHA. The committee will also have members from Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance. It does not have any representation from the Sunni Muslim community.
According to the Census 2011, the total population of Ladakh was 2,74,289, and nearly 80% are tribals. The Union Territory has a majority Buddhist population, with a sizeable Muslim population in Kargil.
The Apex Body for Leh (a group comprising political, religious and civil society groups in Ladakh), the LBA, and the KDA, have been demanding Statehood for Ladakh.
The LBA said in a statement on Tuesday that it strongly objects to the inclusion of Tsewang Norboo in the committee as he is not the president of LBA-Kargil, as mentioned in the MHA’s order.
An order by MHA said the committee will “discuss measures to protect the region’s unique culture and language taking into consideration its geographical location and its strategic importance”; measures for inclusive development and employment generation; and issues related to empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) of Leh and Kargil.
On August 5, 2019, the special status of former State of Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 was revoked by the Parliament, and the State was bifurcated into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh, the latter without a Legislative Assembly.

Press Trust of India