New Delhi: Mohammad Haneefa, representing Ladakh in the Indian parliament, has voiced the concerns and demands of the local population, focusing on issues of land and employment rights which have been contentious since the region’s designation as a Union Territory in 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Haneefa used the parliamentary platform of Zero Hour to spotlight the demands of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which represent the diverse communities of the Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil districts. These groups have been actively seeking greater local autonomy and protections under Indian law for the past four years.
Haneefa highlighted the strategic significance of Ladakh, noting its large geographic constituency and border proximity to both China and Pakistan. He emphasized the ongoing dissatisfaction among the local population regarding Ladakh’s current administrative status as a Union Territory without a legislature, which was a divisive issue at its inception in 2019.
The parliamentarian outlined the four key demands that have unified the Leh and Kargil districts: incorporation into the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to provide greater autonomy, statehood to empower local governance, job reservations to ensure employment opportunities for local residents, and the establishment of a separate public service commission. Additionally, there is a call for increasing the representation of Ladakh in the Indian parliament with two Lok Sabha seats.
Despite ongoing discussions with the central government, including nine rounds of talks that have yet to produce a resolution, local leaders continue to express concerns over democratic representation, ecological impacts due to increased militarization, and the unsettling effects of new laws that could alter the demographic and economic landscape of Ladakh.