‘We Don’t Want a Nationalism Certificate, We Want Justice’: Leh Apex Body on Rejecting Talks With Government After Ladakh Unrest

Kargil: In a press conference, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) accused the central government of backtracking on its promises and making "baseless accusations" against the people of Ladakh, despite their long history of service and sacrifice for the nation.

KDA Co-Chairman Asgar Ali Karbalai voiced the alliance’s frustration over the delay in fulfilling key demands, including statehood for Ladakh, implementation of the Sixth Schedule, and justice for the people of the region.

"We have been in talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs for a long time now, but till now, there hasn't been any fruitful solution given to us for our demands," said Karbalai.

Referring to the meeting held on May 27, Karbalai said the Government of India had promised to begin talks on statehood within a few months, but no such discussions have taken place.

"That day never came. Hurt by this betrayal, the people of Ladakh had to come out and protest," he added.

The KDA has also expressed strong disapproval of the recent narrative from some quarters labeling Ladakhis as "anti-nationals" and "agents of Pakistan and China" due to their protests and demands.

"We have won the Kargil war because of the people of Ladakh. And today, they are making such accusations? When the people come on the roads to ask for what they deserve, they are called anti-nationals," Karbalai said, adding, "We want to tell the government we do not want a certificate from you for nationalism. We want justice. We want statehood. We want the Sixth Schedule. We want the government to fulfill its promises."

Despite the rising tension, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a recent statement said that the Centre remains open to discussions with both the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The MHA highlighted past outcomes of the dialogue process, such as increased tribal and women’s reservations, language protections, and the recruitment process for over 1,800 posts in the Union Territory.

“The government is confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in the near future,” the Home Ministry said.

However, the KDA maintains its position that no further talks will be held unless climate activists arrested during the recent protests are released.

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