'Won't Be Intimidated Into Silence': Ladakh Leaders During Protest Rally For Statehood

Srinagar: Thousands of people in Ladakh marched on roads to hold a protest rally to press for constitutional safeguards, warning the central government of ‘testing’ their patience in the strategically located region.

The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) spearheading the movement called for Monday's peaceful protest rally to push for statehood and the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh.
Carrying banners and placards in support of their demands, people chanted slogans, 'Insaaf do insaaf do', 'Ladakh ko sixth schedule dena hoga, dena hoga', 'afsar shaahi na manzoor', the leaders accused the administration of threatening people to stop them from participating in the rally.

“It is unfortunate that the people of Ladakh have been forced onto the streets despite our attempts at dialogue,” said Member of Parliament Haneefa Jan addressing a rally in Kargil. “We have always defended this strategically vital land but our patience should not be taken for granted. We are protesting peacefully yet we are being pushed to the limit.”

He said that conspiracies are being hatched to plant people in their ranks to sabotage the movement, but, “By reducing us to a Union Territory, our democracy and constitutional safeguards were stripped away…. But I tell them that this is not a personal, religious or regional dispute but about the future of Ladakh.”

FILE- Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk (IANS)

Co-chairman KDA Asgar Ali Karbalai said that their call for protest is meant for saving the language, culture and identity of the region.

He accused the Ladakh Chief Secretary of issuing veiled threats against Ladakh people to prevent their participation in the rally but warned that they have not been deterred by threats from China or Pakistan.

“Stop threatening us. From 1948 to the Galwan crisis, Ladakhis have consistently laid down their lives for defeding the nation. We are not intimidated by threats of China or Pakistan. We certainly will not be intimidated by your threats,” said Karbalai, asking the administration to choose their words carefully while addressing Ladakhi people.

According to him, former LG Kavinder Gupta, DGP and Chief Secretary labeled them ‘anti-national, Gen Z and Pakistan and Chinese agent’.

“But you have seen the consequences. They had to leave Ladakh with all their belongings. We are not intimated by threats. The police stopped people by threatening them. You can be anyone DGP, IGP or DIG but you must remember you are servant of the people of this country,” Karbalai said in a terse warning to the administration.

Karbalai said they are open to dialogue but the central government has ignored their aspirations, even though everyone from the Prime Minister to the Home Minister knew their demands.

“We will not rest until our demands are met. The release of Sonam is only a step forward but incomplete unless all detainees are freed and their cases revoked,” said Karbalai. "Those injured by bullets and lathis must be compensated with dignity. We will not remain silent until justice is served for the four martyrs who gave their lives for the future of Ladakh.”

Leh's Polo ground was packed with men and women as they assembled first time since violence erupted in the region in September. Four civilians were killed and 80 wounded while climate activist Sonam Wangchuk who was leading the 14 day hunger strike was jailed under National Security Act (NSA) two days of the clashes on September 26, 2025.
On Saturday, the Home Ministry revoked his NSA and allowed him to walk free from Rajasthan's Jodhpur jail after six months of detention. This came days before his case is listed for hearing in Supreme Court on tomorrow (March 17).

Chairman of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) said participants demanded the early outcome of the Judicial Commission inquiry and expressed solidarity with Wangchuk over the revocation of his NSA.

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