Srinagar: the Union Home Ministry has summoned a gathering of leaders from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in New Delhi on December 4. This meeting, to be chaired by Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, is reported to be open for discussion on various topics, as per The Excelsior.
Representing LAB, seven members are slated to participate in the upcoming meeting, including Thupstan Chhewang, former MP and Ladakh Buddhist Association president, Chhering Dorjey Lakrook, a former Cabinet Minister in the former Jammu and Kashmir Government, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Ladakh Congress president and former Cabinet Minister in Jammu and Kashmir, along with other notable figures. From KDA, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Asgar Ali Karbalaie, and Sajjad Kargili are expected to attend.
The LAB and KDA have outlined a four-point agenda, encompassing matters such as constitutional protections under the Sixth Schedule, attaining statehood for Ladakh, securing two Lok Sabha seats (one for Leh and one for Kargil), and advocating for increased job opportunities for locals. Additionally, they have urged for the establishment of a Public Service Commission (PSC) specifically for Ladakh. If the dedicated PSC isn’t feasible, they propose inclusion in the Jammu and Kashmir PSC, similar to the arrangement with the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.
