Listen To Ladakh

The sudden eruption of violence in Leh marks a tragic turning point in Ladakh's history. What began as a call for statehood and constitutional safeguards spiraled into chaos. About five people have lost their lives, dozens have been injured, and public property has gone up in flames. This is an unusual and unfortunate development for a region that has long been a symbol of peaceful civic action.

The unrest has not happened in a vacuum Since 2019, when Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory, residents have lived with the hope of greater autonomy and empowerment. Instead, they have found themselves under direct central administration, without a legislature and without the protections that could secure both their fragile environment and cultural identity. The demand for inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is rooted in the simple fact that over 90 per cent of Ladakh's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes. For them, the issue is not abstract politics but the preservation of their way of life.

The Centre's reluctance to move decisively on these demands has deepened frustration. Sonam Wangchuk, the climate activist who has led the recent hunger strike, expressed sorrow at the turn of events. His appeal for non-violence was overtaken by the anger of a younger generation that sees little reason to trust in promises that repeatedly get pushed into the future. So, this“Gen Z” impatience is not difficult to understand.

But violence comes at a heavy cost. Setting fire to offices and vehicles, or clashing with security forces, risks undermining a movement that has otherwise drawn sympathy across the country. Ladakh's strength has always been in its unity: Buddhists and Muslims, Leh and Kargil, religious leaders and civil society speaking in one voice. That unity is too precious to be sacrificed in anger.

The greater responsibility, however, rests with New Delhi. Ladakh it goes without saying, is not just another Union Territory. The region is ecologically delicate and geopolitically sensitive, sharing borders with both China and Pakistan. So, allowing disillusionment to fester in such a region is a gamble New Delhi cannot afford. So Ladakhis need to be genuinely listened to, not just engaged in another round of delayed assurances. The Centre thus must sit with Ladakhi representatives, listen to their concerns, and craft constitutional safeguards that reflect their unique demographic and geographic reality.

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