VoL Desk, September 28, 2024: Ladakh’s Member of Parliament, Haji Nahifa Jan, today flagged off the second batch of protesters from the Council Secretariat in Kargil. The group is set to join the ongoing pad yatra to Delhi, advocating for the restoration of democratic rights in Ladakh.

This batch of protesters is led by Co-Chairmen of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), Haji Asgar Ali Karbalai and Qamar Ali Akhone. Prominent figures present at the flag-off included Executive Councillors Zakir Hussain and Kacho Mohd Feroz, alongside representatives from the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust (IKMT), the Jamiat Ulema Isna Ashriya Kargil (JUIAK), Councillors and other local leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Qamar Ali Akhone outlined the group’s travel plan, stating that the protesters will join the pad yatra at the Singhu Border before marching to Delhi. They aim to reach Raj Ghat or Jantar Mantar by October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.

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Asgar Ali Karbalai emphasized the ongoing four-year-long protest by the people of Ladakh, who are demanding the restoration of democracy and local governance in the region. “Our primary goals are full statehood for Ladakh, the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule for tribal protection, separate parliamentary seats for Leh and Kargil, and local recruitment for gazetted and non-gazetted posts through the formation of a Public Service Commission (PSC) for Ladakh,” he said.

This movement is part of a larger push for Ladakh’s four-point agenda, spearheaded by the Apex Body Leh. Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk initiated the pad yatra to Delhi on September 1, aiming to arrive at Jantar Mantar on October 2.

The first batch of protesters, led by Councillor Sajjad Khan from Saliskote and KDA core committee member Sajjad Hussain Kargili, joined Sonam Wangchuk’s caravan in Chandigarh on Saturday.