New Delhi:

In the high-altitude Ladakh region of country, thousands residents of Ladakh are protesting in sub-zero temperatures regarding their demands. In 2019, the central government fulfilled their longstanding demand for a region separate from Indian-administered Kashmir. But since 2020, they have frequently protesting, accusing the central government of ‘betrayal’ and unkept promises.

Ladakh, India’s northern-most region, is a snow desert inhabited by 300,000 people from the Muslim and Buddhist communities. The Leh region is dominated by Buddhists while the Kargil region is inhabited by Shia Muslims.

For decades, the Buddhist community demanded a separate region for its people, while those in Kargil wanted to be integrated with the Muslim-majority region of India-administered Kashmir.

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked Article 370 of the constitution which accorded special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and gave it significant autonomy. The state was then divided into two parts – Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir – and both are federally administered territories.

A year later, Kargil and Leh districts joined hands and formed the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), aimed at addressing people’s concerns. The civil society groups have held massive rallies against the federal government.

Sonam Wangchuk, an environmentalist, who is sitting on fast unto death for the last 19 days at Ladakh said that “we have been demanding inclusion of Ladakh under sixth schedule of Constitution of India to safeguard its interests and statehood for Ladakh.”

He said that “on 19th day of his fast, over 5000 people of Ladakh sat on fast with him to support the cause for which he was sitting on fast unto death. Apart from this, around 40 big cities of India, people held protest and sat on fast to support the demands of Ladakh residents.”

For people in Ladakh, who depend primarily on agriculture, the move also sparked fears it would affect the region’s culture and identity as it made it easier for those from outside the region to buy land in the area.

Their demands include statehood for Ladakh, jobs, protection of their land and resources, and a parliamentary seat each for Leh and Kargil districts.

They also want implementation of the Sixth Schedule, a constitutional provision that protects tribal populations and allows them to set up autonomous organisations that frame laws on land, health and agriculture. Nearly 97% of Ladakh’s population is tribal.

The Sixth Schedule was designed to protect the rights of indigenous and tribal groups.

Sonam Wangchuk, who gained fame after Bollywood star Aamir Khan played a character based on him in the 2009 blockbuster Three Idiots, is on a 21-day-long fast to remind the government of its promises to safeguard Ladakh’s environment and tribal indigenous culture.

“People of Ladakh, have offered support to Indian soldiers, including to personnel from the plains who have struggled to adapt to high altitude. Any kind of disturbance will impact this spirit” he remarked.