Climate expert from Ladakh starts foot march to Delhi to press for demands We will reach Raj Ghat New Delhi on October 2: Sonam Wangchuk

Srinagar : Prominent activist and the climate expert from Ladakh Union Territory Sonam Wangchuk today said that he along with scores of his supporters have started Padh Yatra (foot march) from Ladakh to Delhi to press the demands.

There are two main demands from Wangchuk—restoration of statehood to Ladakh and inclusion of UT in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Chanting slogans, “fulfil our demands, we want Sixth Schedule,” .

He said that they have already completed 25 km journey by foot on September 2.

“We will reach Raj Ghat New Delhi on October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and protest there. We will remind Prime Minister Narendera Modi about the promise made to us and demand immediate fulfilment of our promises,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention there that after many meetings, the BJP government has backtracked on its promises and is talking of a much diluted version of what is already in the Constitution.

Wangchuk said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government had mentioned the protection of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule in their manifestos for 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2020 Ladakh Hill Council polls. “We abandoned out andolan in view of elections but when nothing happened in the past over two months, we have started it again,” he said.

Ladakhi leadership has already entered into talks with Centre to discuss threadbare the demands for Ladakh’s statehood, inclusion of the Union Territory in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the setting up of an exclusive public service commission for the high-altitude region.

CNI