Ladakh civil society groups on Monday announced calling off their proposed indefinite hunger strike scheduled to begin on Tuesday after a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi.
The MHA has agreed to discuss their demands, which include Statehood for Ladakh, granting the region tribal status through inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and constitution of an exclusive Public Service Commission for Ladakh, in a meeting on February 24.
Sajjad Kargili, a member of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and High-Powered Committee (HPC) of the MHA took to social media platform X and made the announcement immediately after the meeting with MHA officials. He also posted a video of the members going for the HPC meeting in MHA office.
Former Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Ladakh, Thupstan Chhewang (76), and education reformer and Magsaysay Award winner Sonam Wangchuk, both members of the HPC had announced an indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday to demand constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory.
The Centre agreed on Monday to discuss threadbare the demands for Ladakh’s statehood, the inclusion of the Union Territory in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution and the setting up of an exclusive public service commission for the high-altitude region.
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