Leh/Delhi/Jammu: Hundreds of students hailing from Ladakh congregated at Delhi’s Budh Vihar to initiate a day-long protest cum hunger strike, advocating for the inclusion of Ladakh into the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and demanding Statehood for the region.
A day long hunger strike was also held by the Ladakhi students in Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Sunday pressing for their demands and expressing solidarity with climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk.
Such hunger strikes were also observed in Delhi, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Dehradun , Mumbai and Pune etc in support of Sonam Wangchuk.
The protest, spearheaded by the All Kargil (Ladakh) Students’ Association Delhi (AKSAD) and Ladakh Students’ Welfare Society Delhi, saw active participation from numerous students enrolled in various universities and institutes across Delhi.
Echoing chants for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule and Statehood for Ladakh, the demonstrators also expressed solidarity with renowned environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, currently engaged in a hunger strike at NDS Stadium Leh for the past 12 days, in his pursuit of Ladakh’s four-point agenda.
“Previously, on March 10, students had undertaken a hunger strike to extend support to Sonam Wangchuk and the four-point demands of Ladakh. We firmly stand behind the four-point agenda advocated by the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA),” remarked Zaheer Abass, a student from Kargil.
Acknowledging the challenges faced by students in rallying for such protests while being away from their hometowns, General Secretary, LSWSD, Jigmet Stanzin, expressed gratitude towards Ladakh leaders, particularly Sonam Wangchuk, and fellow students for their active participation in the protest.
Meanwhile, Ladakh Students Union Jammu held a day long hunger strike at Jammu in support of Sonam Wangchuk and four demands to the cold desert.
Dozens of students assembled here while chanting slogans and holding placards. The students demanded implementation of the Sixth Schedule and Statehood for Ladakh besides pressed for other demands.
The on strike students in Jammu expressed their solidarity with renowned environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently engaged in a hunger strike at NDS Stadium Leh for the past 12 days.
The strike was held under the leadership of ALSAJ, AZSAJ and various student unions of Ladakh residing in Jammu.
The main objective of today’s gathering was to show solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk who is on a 21 days Hunger strike for Inclusion of Ladakh under the 6TH Schedule of the Indian constitution.
Around 400 people including students, parents and climate activists from Jammu participated in the gathering and observed a one day hunger strike.
People raised concerned about the fragile environment of Ladakh and demanded land, employment, trade and business protection for Ladakh under the 6th Schedule of the Indian constitution.
Students also raised the issue of unemployment in Ladakh and requested the UT Administration to set State Public Service commission and other non- gazetted recruitment boards as soon as possible.
(Inputs from VoL)
