Ladakh: Satisfied, but statehood main issue, says Buddhist association
President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and former minister, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, on Wednesday largely expressed satisfaction over Centre's notifications on domicile law and job reservations for locals. However, he said that statehood and constitutional safeguards enshrined under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the strategic Himalayan region still remain the main agenda for the people of Ladakh, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
'The Centre's notifications on domicile law prescribing 15-year residency with prospective effect and 85% reservation to locals in jobs have been accepted by us,' he said. 'However, conditions like having studied for seven years and appeared in class 10 and 12 exams were not discussed by the Union ministry of home affairs with us. We will take up these clauses with the government,' he added. The former minister, who is also a member of the LAB, admitted that the LAB and KDA had arrived at a unanimous consensus for either taking 1989 as a cut-off year or 30-year prospective residency for the domicile law.
'But the government (Centre) didn't agree upon 1989 as the cut-off year. On 30-year prospective residency, the Centre told us that it will be a time consuming exercise involving law ministry and other allied departments. Though the Centre has assured us to do it, we also realised that we could not waste further time. We have already waited for six years and the career of our youth is at stake. For the past over six years, not a single gazetted job has been given in Ladakh,' he added.
The LBA chief elaborated that 15 year prospective residency will come into effect from October 31, 2019. On public service commision in Ladakh, he informed that the Centre has given them three options of UPSC directly conducting Ladakh's exams, Ladakh having its own PSC or J&K PSC conducting exams for Ladakh. 'We have conveyed that any of the three options deemed appropriate by the Centre is acceptable to us,' he said.
However, the veteran leader amply made it clear that statehood and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution remain the core agenda for Ladakh people. 'Talks are yet to take place on statehood and Sixth Schedule. We also want an additional Lok Sabha constituency for the region, but that's not possible before 2026 because of a rider imposed by the Supreme Court,' he said.
Ladakh as of date has only one parliamentary constituency. In 2023, the Union home ministry had formed a high-powered committee under minister of state Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture.
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