Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 7: With elections of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh in mind, the ruling BJP on Wednesday promised to grant ‘more than’ Sixth schedule to Ladakh to protect culture, job and land rights to the people of the mountainous region.
Party has promised to protect land, job, culture, values, customs and ethnicity of Ladakh at any cost but as far as Jammu is concerned the party has failed to make institutional arrangements despite the fact that people of Jammu too had voted in favour of the party.
Formally launching election campaign for LAHDC in Leh today, Union Minister of State for Finance, Anurag Thakur assured people of Ladakh that they will be given more than Sixth Schedule. He referred towards his own state Himachal Pradesh where non-tribal cannot purchase land in tribal areas.
“Despite being a four-time Lok Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, even I am not entitled to purchase land in tribal areas of my state”, he said and assured that similar provision would be made for Ladakh region where people are demanding Sixth schedule. Apex Body of People’s Movement (ABPM), an apolitical body having former BJP MP Thupstan Chhewang, Dorjay, Thiksay monastery head Rinpoche Nawang Chamba Stanzin and former minister Nawang Rigzin Jora as members, has been demanding constitutional safeguards under its Sixth Schedule to Ladakh on the lines of north-eastern states.
The umbrella group includes political parties and religious organisations and Leh-based Ladakh Buddhist Association.
The safeguards also guarantee more teeth to the two hill development councils of Leh and Kargil with legislative powers. Last week, after Union home minister Amit Shah’s assurance over the same, ABPM announced to withdraw its call to boycott the ensuing polls of the LAHDC-Leh. |
