Govt talks under cloud as Leh body withdraws

A top body of representatives in Leh on Monday pulled out of scheduled talks with the Union government on October 6 and another in Kargil said it was unlikely to join the negotiations as anger over the deaths of four people during a protest last week in Ladakh and the arrest of activist Sonam Wangchuk threatened to boil over.

- Ashiq Hussain and Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The dramatic announcement came on the sixth day of curfew in Leh, where the funerals of two of the four people killed last Wednesday - a Kargil war veteran and a local man - were held and local organisations called for the release of Wang-chuk, who was held last week under the National Security Act.

"We have unanimously agreed that the situation that is prevailing in Ladakh, keeping that in view, as long as peace is not restored and a conducive atmosphere is not created, we will not participate in any talks," said Thupstan Chhewang, the chairman of Leh.

Apex Body (LAB), one of the two bodies leading the Ladakh protests.

"We will urge the home ministry, UT administration, and the administration to take steps to address the atmosphere of fear, grief and anger that is there," added the two-time former member of Parliament in a press conference in Leh.

In Delhi, the other body leading the stir - the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) - was unlikely to join the October 6 talks, a KDA official said, and added that the restoration of statehood in Ladakh and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule (which gives a region some level of autonomy) remained "non-negotiable." Sajjad Kargili, the chief of the KDA, said the people in Ladakh felt let down by the government's refusal to accept their demands, and that there was anger over the government's response to "peaceful protests" which led to the death of four civilians and injuries to 100 others.

"The way bullets were fired, and many were injured, there should be some accountability... This is a big example of why we need democracy," Kargili said.

The Union home ministry said the government was always open for dialogue on "Ladakh matters" with the two bodies at any time and was confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in near future.

"We would continue to welcome the discussion with ABL and KDA through the HPC on Ladakh or any such platform.