‘Too Little, Too Late”, says Ladakh MP on release of 26 detainees
Yash Khajuria
Leh, Oct 03: The Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) set to hold an urgent meet on Sunday for a crucial deliberation on their strategy ahead of their proposed engagement with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The meeting is expected to center on pressing demands, foremost among them the constitution of a judicial commission to investigate the September 24 violence, which left four civilians dead and over seventy injured.
According to Sources, the recent decision of the Union Territory (UT) administration to release 26 detainees booked under various FIRs is being viewed as a conciliatory step aimed at creating an enabling environment for the upcoming High-Powered Committee (HPC) talks scheduled for October 6 in New Delhi.
Ladakh’s Member of Parliament, Mohmad Haneefa who is also member of the MHA Appointed High Powered Committee and Sub-Committee, in a statement to The Earth News, welcomed the release of the detainees—though on bail—as a “positive, if belated, gesture.” He also acknowledged the MHA’s move to permit the family of activist Sonam Wangchuk to meet him in Jodhpur jail, terming it a “necessary humanitarian intervention.”
“While such measures are a step forward, they cannot substitute the demand for an impartial judicial probe. The UT administration and the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor must take credible steps, beginning with an inquiry by a retired judge of the Hon’ble Supreme Court to rebuild public confidence and ensure meaningful dialogue,” the MP asserted.
On the magisterial inquiry ordered by the UT administration, mandated to submit its findings within four weeks, the MP was categorical in his rejection. He described the probe as “cosmetic” and “inadequate,” questioning how a Sub-Divisional Magistrate could be tasked with investigating senior officials. “This reflects insensitivity to public sentiment and undermines the demand for accountability,” Haneefa remarked.
Meanwhile, the MHA has reiterated its willingness to engage constructively on the ‘Four-Point Agenda’ put forth by Ladakhi representatives. However, senior leadership within the Apex Body and KDA have emphasized that their participation in the HPC will be contingent on substantive assurances from the Centre. “We are prepared for dialogue, but not for tokenism. Unless there are confidence-building measures—starting with a judicial probe—the exercise risks being reduced to a symbolic exercise,” a senior member of KDA noted.
Sources privy to the developments indicated that Haji Mustafa, Legal Advisor to the Apex Body Leh, who has been allowed to meet Sonam Wangchuk in Jodhpur, will discuss with Wangchuk on the scope for participation in the October 6 HPC meeting. The decision of Ladakhi representatives to attend or boycott the talks will ultimately hinge on the MHA’s readiness to take concrete steps to restore public trust and address long-standing grievances.
