Demand for constitutional safeguards gathers pace in Ladakh, rally organised

The demand for Constitutional safeguards for Ladakh grew louder on Saturday when thousands of people gathered at the Polo Ground in Leh in subzero temperatures to hear noted environmentalist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk urge the Centre to grant the Union territory safeguards guaranteed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution that allows for autonomy to predominantly tribal areas.

- Ravi Krishnan

"We are not seeking anything out of the ambit of Constitution of India. We are seeking Sixth Schedule under Article 244 of the Constitution, which was promised to us by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in their manifestos from time to time," Wangchuk told a crowd of an estimated 30,000 people who braved temperatures of around minus 8°C to attend the public rally. The original purpose of the Sixth Schedule was to provide autonomy to the predominantly