VoL Desk, Jan. 07: After announcement of formation of High Powered Committee by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance convened an emergency meeting of at Jammu today.

The meeting was aimed to discuss the recent announcement by the Home Ministry about the formation of the High-Powered Committee to resolve the outstanding issues of Union Territory of Ladakh and to take a decision about the participation in the subsequent meetings to be held, read a press release issued after the meeting.

Members of both APEX Body and the KDA participated in the meeting and unanimously decided not to accept the formation of the High-Powered Committee and attend any meeting conducted under the aegis of the Committee as the said Committee has not been mandated to discuss issues raised by the APEX and the KDA.

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However, it was resolved that both the bodies will agree to participate in any meeting headed by a committee which is empowered to discuss the four issues in question, i.e (1.) Statehood for UT Ladakh, (2.) Constitutional Safeguard under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India in order to protect the interest of the Tribal People of Ladakh, (3.) Formation of Public Service Commission and Reservation of Jobs for youth of Ladakh, and (4.) creation of two separate parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil.

The meeting further strongly objected to the composition of members of the High-Powered Committee representing Leh APEX Body and KDA as the government has arbitrarily excluded and included members without consultation with the APEX Body and the KDA.

It was further resolved that the government should include all the names as proposed by Leh APEX and KDA body in the year 2021 as per Home Ministry’s instruction. Accordingly, panel of names of the APEX Body are: Venerable Thiksey Rinpochhe, Thupstan Chhewang Ex Member of Parliament of Ladakh, Tsering Dorjey Lakruk, Acharya Stanzin Wangtak President LGA Leh, Shri Nawang Rigzin Jora, Ex Minister J&K, Shri Ashraf Ali Barcha, President Anjuman Imamia, Dr. Abdul Qayum, and President Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam.

While from Kargil Democratic Alliance, members are Shri Qamar Ali Akhone Ex. Minister, Shri Asgar Ali Karbalai Ex MLA, Shri Sajjad Hussain Kargili Representative Jamiat Ulema Isna Asharia, Shri Shiekh Bashir Shakir, Vice Chairman IKMT Kargil, Agha Syed Ahmad Rizvi Anjuman Sahab Zaman, Agha Syed Mohammad Shah Anjuman Noorbakshia, Haji Ghulam Nabi Var Anjuman e Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat, and Skarma Dadul, Ladakh Buddhist Association Kargil.

It was further resolved in the meeting that the agitation for the resolution of the above four issues shall continue till our genuine demands are fulfilled. In this connection, the APEX and KDA propose to have protest rally at Jammu on the 15^th of January followed by Dharna Protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 3rd week of February 2023. It may also be clarified that both the bodies have decided to intensify the agitation during 2023.