Jammu: Evading a direct reply on the possible inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the Union Home Ministry has informed a Parliamentary panel that the main objective of the inclusion of tribal populations under the said schedule is to ensure their overall socio-economic development, which the Union Territory’s administration “has already been taking care of since its creation”.
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Meanwhile, Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been jointly struggling for grant of Sixth Schedule like status to Ladakh, Statehood and other demands have decided to intensify their agitation and spread it to Jammu and New Delhi to highlight their issues and make the Central Government act on them.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha has stated that tribal population in Ladakh is 2,18,355 which accounts to 79.61 percent of the total population of Ladakh i.e. 2,74,289. The PSC has taken the figures of 2011 census.
The Committee recommended that possibility of including Ladakh in Fifth or Sixth Schedule may be examined.
“Ladakh may be granted special status considering developmental requirements of the tribal population,” the Panel said.
In its response to recommendations of the Parliam-entary Committee, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said the main objective for inclusion of tribal population under fifth/sixth schedule is to ensure their overall socio-economic development, which, the UT administration of Ladakh has already been taking care of since its creation.
“Sufficient funds are being provided to Ladakh to meet its overall developmental requirements,” the Ministry said
It added that the Ladakh administration had recently increased the reservation for Scheduled Tribes in direct recruitment from 10% to 45%, which would help the tribal population significantly in its development.
The LAB and KDA have been demanding Sixth Schedule like status and Statehood for Ladakh, two Parliamentary seats and expedited recruitment.
There has been no direct communication between Home Ministry and representatives of LAB and KDA, which have been spearheading agitation in Ladakh on their four major demands, for past several months.
In fact both Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil have passed separate resolutions seeking Sixth Schedule like status to Ladakh. Leh Council is headed by the BJP while NC is ruling the Council in Kargil.
The BJP is, however, averse to the demand of Statehood for Ladakh saying UT was the demand of Ladakhis for past several years which was fulfilled by the Union Government on August 5, 2019.
Apex Body leader Chering Dorjay told the Excelsior that as part of their intensification of agitation in favour of their demands, the LAB and KDA will take their agitation outside Ladakh by staging dharna in Jammu on December 18 followed by another protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for which a date is yet to be decided.
“There has been no contact between us and the Central Government. They are not ready to even listen to our demands,” Dorjay said.
He added that Sixth Schedule like status will also strengthen the twin Hill Councils in Ladakh by giving them legislative powers.
