Leh: Cherring Dorjey Lakruk, Co-Chairman of the Apex Body Leh and President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), has said that the Centre must clearly spell out its position on Ladakh’s key demands of Statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, asserting that prolonged silence from the government is raising serious concerns about its intent.
In an interview with The Earth News, Lakruk stated that dialogue between Ladakhi representatives and the Centre has been ongoing for nearly five to six years, but no concrete outcome has emerged on the two principal demands. He noted that while earlier discussions largely focused on employment and domicile issues, the core political demands remain unresolved despite repeated submissions of draft proposals to the government.
“The ball is now in the government’s court. If our demands are not acceptable, the Centre must specify what it is willing to offer. Only then can we deliberate on it,” the Apex Body co-chairman said, adding that the absence of clarity from the government side has stalled meaningful progress.
Referring to discussions around Article 371, he pointed out that while the Centre had indicated it could consider provisions under it, such a framework would require a legislature—something Ladakh currently lacks as a Union Territory. “When we raise the issue of a legislature, the government falls silent. This contradiction needs to be clarified,” he remarked.
Lakruk also questioned the seriousness of the Centre in addressing Ladakh’s concerns, stating that if the government were genuinely committed, high-level meetings led by senior leadership, including the Union Home Minister, should have been convened to arrive at decisions. Instead, he said, discussions have largely been limited to sub-committee meetings involving officials, which are unlikely to yield substantial outcomes.
He further alleged that the Centre appears to be “buying time” and delaying decisions, noting that requests to upgrade meetings to a high-powered committee format have not been accepted.
On internal differences, he said that discussions held during meetings should be placed in the public domain for transparency. He referred to differing views expressed by some leaders, including opposition to the Sixth Schedule, and emphasized that the public has the right to know what positions are being taken.
He reiterated that the Centre has attempted to argue that Statehood and Sixth Schedule provisions may not be feasible for Ladakh, but maintained that constitutional amendments could enable such provisions if there is political will. “These are not insurmountable issues. The government has legislative powers to address them,” he said.
Rejecting suggestions that Ladakh should settle for existing arrangements like the Hill Councils, he said the ongoing agitation itself reflects dissatisfaction. “Agitations are carried out to make the government agree. It is wrong to say that if the government is unwilling, we should simply give up,” he asserted, adding that the struggle for Statehood and Sixth Schedule will continue until achieved.
On recent developments such as the creation of new districts, Lakruk welcomed the move as addressing regional aspirations and improving administrative access, but clarified that it is not part of the primary demands. Similarly, he appreciated government support in facilitating the exposition of Buddha relics in Ladakh, while stressing that such initiatives should not be conflated with the political demands of the region.
Regarding the upcoming meeting scheduled on May 22, Lakruk said its outcome remains uncertain, and any future course of action will be decided collectively by Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance after deliberations.
