Leh, Feb 14: In a bid to quell rising anxieties amid swirling speculations in the section of Media, Chief Secretary of Union Territory Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, IAS, today asserted that ongoing negotiations in Delhi under the High Powered Committee (HPC) are progressing constructively, dismissing media reports that cast a negative shadow on the process.
Kundra’s clarification comes against the backdrop of recent discussions between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ladakh’s key stakeholder groups, including the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). These talks, held on February 4, centered on long-standing demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, which would grant tribal status and enhanced autonomy to the region.
In an official statement, Kundra said the ongoing High Powered Committee (HPC) process remains open and active, and appealed for restraint as speculation in sections of the national media has triggered concern across the region. He dismissed reports claiming that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has rejected Ladakh’s political demands, and said the dialogue under the High Powered Committee continues to move forward.
The clarification follows a round of talks held on February 4 between the Ministry and Ladakh’s main representative platforms — the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance — on the long-pending demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.
Terming the engagement with stakeholder groups as “wholesome and constructive”, the Chief Secretary said the administration remains committed to a democratic and inclusive consultation process involving all sections of Ladakh.
“I would like to appeal to the people of Ladakh and all stakeholders to abjure from speculative rumour-mongering,” Kundra said, adding that the Government intends to address the democratic aspirations of the region in a fair and judicious manner, while keeping long-term public interest at the centre of the process.
Adding to the official position, senior political leader Sajjad Kargili, a member of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, categorically denied reports that the Centre had rejected Ladakh’s demands during the recent HPC meeting.
In a separate statement, Kargili said the word “rejection” was never used by the Government during the discussions held earlier this month. According to him, the Central side only expressed objections and reservations on the draft proposal submitted by the Ladakh leadership.
“These observations were expected during such deliberations. We placed our demands with seriousness and explained our position clearly,” he said.
Kargili added that the process has now reached a stage where the next move lies with the Central Government, which is expected to place its own proposal before the Ladakh representatives.
However, he made it clear that the leadership from both Leh and Kargil districts has already ruled out one of the alternatives being discussed by the Government.
He said the proposal to extend Article 371 to Ladakh along with the creation of a Territorial Council is not acceptable to the regional leadership.
“We have clearly and categorically rejected that framework,” he stated.
Maintaining that talks are still in progress, Kargili urged restraint in drawing conclusions from media reports and said the dialogue between the two sides must be allowed to continue.
The demand for Sixth Schedule protection and full statehood continues to remain the joint position of political and social organisations from across Ladakh.
Sources in the administration said the Chief Secretary’s intervention follows a sharp rise in media narratives portraying the February 4 meeting as stalled, with reports highlighting the Centre’s reluctance to concede on core issues such as statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion. The same reports also referred to proposals for strengthening existing hill councils under Article 371, an approach that failed to find acceptance among Ladakh’s representatives.
Meanwhile, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, in a recent address, expressed optimism about the direction of the talks and indicated that the next meeting of the High Powered Committee could be held within the next 20 days.
The negotiations form part of a prolonged engagement that began after Ladakh’s separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and its conversion into a Union Territory without a legislature — a development that triggered sustained public mobilisation for political representation and constitutional safeguards.
Leaders of the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance have maintained a common front on issues related to land protection, employment opportunities and the preservation of the fragile Himalayan environment. Activists, including noted educationist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, have earlier led public campaigns and hunger strikes to draw national attention to these concerns.
For now, the administration has reiterated that engagement with all stakeholders will continue, even as public expectations remain firmly anchored to the twin demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule protection.
