Ladakhi innovator Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday address a protest gathering in Leh following the completion of his 21 day of protest fast and reiterated that he would continue the peaceful protest to press for the demand of statehood and implementation of the Sixth Schedule in the religion.
“I am sure democracy will work and leader will listen” Sonam Wangchuk on Ladakh’s statehood demands.
History of Ladakh:
Leh(Ladakh) was also known in the past by different names. It was called Mayrul or low land by some kha-chumpa by others. It is said the first immigrant appears to have been Brokpas from Dadarstan who inhabited the lower reaches of the Indus valley known as Sham.
The ancient immigrant of Ladakh was Dards, an Indo-Aryan race. Immigrant of Tibet, Skardo and nearby parts like Purang, Guge settled in Ladakh , whose racial characters and cultures were in consonance with early settlers.
Buddhism travelled from central India to Tibet via Ladakh and left it’s imprint on Ladakh. Islamic missionaries also made a peaceful penetration of Islam in early 16th century. German Moravian missionaries also having cognisance of East India company made inroads towards conversion but with Little success .
Story of Sonam Wangchuk’s “climate fast”:
On 6th March in Leh, a situated at about 3500 meters in the cold aired Union territory (UT) of Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh’s famous educationist and environmentalist began a hunger strike which he named as “climate fast”.
The strike was in support of thousands of Ladakh residents who have been demanding safeguard under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution so they can make descision regarding the use and management of resources such as land and water.
Reformist Sonam Wangchuk and Leh apex body (LAB) , Kargil Democratic Allience(KDA) Leaders and supporters starts a hunger strike in protest demanding statehood of Ladakh. It’s inclusion in Sixth Schedule of Constitution , restoration of statehood and seperate lok sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.
Sonam Wangchuk said, that the Protest has not ended. All Ladakhis will be participating in hunger strikes for each sets of 21 days until they get heard by the government.
What is sixth schedule?
The Sixth Schedule of Constitution of India provide measures of autonomy and self governance to the scheduled tribes in the hill region of North-eastern India. There are 10 Sixth Schedule districts in India.
The Sixth Schedule of India contains provision related to the administrator of tribal areas in the state of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. No parts of Manipur comes under this schedule.
This special provision is provided under article 244(2) and article 275(1). The governor has a power to create a new autonomous district /region or alter the territorial jurisdiction of the name of any autonomous district or autonomous religion.
Sixth schedule constitution can make laws on certain specified matters like land, forest,water, shifting cultivation, Village administration, inheritance of properties, marriage and divorce, social customs and so on. However all laws made by them shall have no effect until assented by governor of the state.
Demands of Ladakh, leading to the hunger strike:
The first demand is to bring Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule so that it can rule it’s own areas. Secondly Ladakh demands to be a seperate State so that it has it’s own legislature and ministers and no one rule it from Delhi. Thirdly they demand to get a seperate public service commission, where jobs are reserved for them. Fourthly Ladakh demands for two constituency for lok sabha one from Leh and another from Kargil.
