Congress criticises PM Modi on Ladakh statehood, ask him to deliver on promise

Amid climate activist Sonam Wangchuks hunger strike in support of Ladakh statehood Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said that the people of Ladakh have been protesting in large numbers against Modi Sarkars heavyhanded rule by bureaucracy reported news agency ANIIn a post on X Jairam said that since the Prime Minister has put off his Bhutan photoops today we hope he can devote some time to LadakhSince February 3rd when there was a complete shutdown of Ladakh by the locals the people of Ladakh have been protesting in large numbers against the Modi Sarkars heavy handed rule by bureaucracy which has made a mockery of local elected institutions The courageous environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk has brought the agony of the people of Ladakh to national and global attention he said on XFurther the Congress leader mentioned that the demand which the Ladakh people are posing is what the BJP had promised in its manifesto in the 2019 lok Sabha elections and 2020 Ladakh Hill Council Polls reported ANIThe people of Ladakh are demanding constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory of Ladakh including Ladakh statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution Incidentally the BJP had promised Ladakhs inclusion in the Sixth Schedule in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections and the 2020 Ladakh Hill Council Polls Does the Prime Minister have any intention of upholding his Modi ki guarantee If not why did he make the promise in the first place Ten years after he first took office why is this issue still pending Jairam askedHe pointed out that on August 5th 2019 by converting Ladakh into a separate Union Territory without a legislative assembly the Modi Sarkar closed the possibilities of any selfgovernment for the people of Ladakh reported ANIWhat vision did the Prime Minister have for Ladakh when he declared it a separate Union Territory Were the people of Ladakh ever consulted during the development of this vision he saidThe Congress general secretary further alleged that under Prime Minister Modis governance India has lost prime pastureland in the Changthang plains in the north of Ladakh to Chinese encroachment In addition to a national security crisis this is also a serious socioeconomic issue for the nomads of LadakhThe Prime Minister however gave a clean chit to China on June 19th 2020 at the allparty meet on China when he declared that not a single Chinese soldier had crossed over into Indian territory Two possibilities remain either the people of Ladakh were lying when they claimed that their lands had been encroached upon by the Chinese PLA or the Prime Minister of India was lying to the nation when he gave his clean chit to China he addedJairam Ramesh also highlighted that the proposed Ladakh Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2023 has suggested singlewindow clearance committees that have only government officials and an industry representative no Council members no civil society groups and no panchayat representatives are part of these committeesThe document does not even lay out the environmental or cultural criteria for considering an industrial project nor does it provide for any public consultation In a sensitive ecosystem such as Ladakh in a region populated by nomadic tribes and other sensitive demographic groups what is the cynical motive that underlines this proposed Land Allotment Policy Is it yet another attempt by the Prime Minister to favour his industrialist friends at the cost of the people Jairam Ramesh askedWith inputs from ANI