Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 12: The decade old demand of the people of Ladakh who were feeling politically, culturally and economically discriminated by the Kashmir centric governments was fulfilled by the Modi government through the bold decision of reorganisation of the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories namely Ladakh & J&K..
The people of Ladakh were overjoyed because it allowed them to become master of their own destinies with a future full of promises said Social Worker & Educationalist Praneesh Mahajan, noted social activist and educationist.
"I am pained to note that rather than reaping the benefits of becoming a UT, a new narrative is being created to disturb peace and tranquility in Ladakh through politically motivated propaganda in the form of demand for applicability of Sixth Schedule," rued Mahajan. Sixth Schedule is a provision in the Constitution of India specially meant for the tribal population of the four North Eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
It makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of president and the governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms, financial powers, etc. exercised through autonomous councils.
"Sixth Schedule hence is not meant for Ladakh since it caters for only specified states of the NE and not even the entire NE. Moreover, Ladakh already enjoys these powers in form of the two Autonomous Hill Area Development Councils," clarified Mahajan. |
