Ladakh : As part of their hunger strike, the demonstrators demanded statehood today and called for a total shutdown.

The first such incident of violence during the present statehood movement occurred this morning in Leh, Ladakh, when angry protestors clashed with the police, throwing stones at officials and even setting a police car on fire.

Today, hundreds of demonstrators occupied the streets of Leh, calling for constitutional protections and statehood. They called for a total shutdown today in support of their demand for statehood and have been participating in a hunger strike.

In addition to attacking the BJP office in Leh, the irate demonstrators also set fire to a police car and threw stones at the officers. To break up the aggressive masses, the police responded by using lathi-charging and tear gas shelling.

Such fights in Ladakh have never been seen before in recent memory. In the context of the impending negotiations with the administration, the violence took place. On October 6, the center has scheduled a meeting with representatives from Ladakh to continue discussing the aspirations of the region’s citizens.

In Ladakh, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been participating in a hunger strike for the past two weeks in support of statehood and the region’s inclusion in the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.

Ladakh Demands Voice: Rising Tensions with Central Rule

Ladakh has witnessed increasing discontent against direct central control over the last three years, with locals frequently demanding independence and constitutional protections to preserve their resources, culture, and territory.

Following the repeal of Article 370 and the division of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh was established as a distinct Union Territory in August 2019. Mr. Wangchuk was among the numerous people in Leh who had applauded the decision at the time. A year later, however, citizens expressed growing concerns about what they saw as a political vacuum in the Lieutenant Governor’s government.

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Large-scale demonstrations and hunger strikes were sparked by this unhappiness. The Apex Body of Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance are the first political and religious organizations from the Muslim-majority Kargil and the Buddhist-majority Leh to unite under a single platform.

In response, a high-level committee was established by the center to look into Ladakh’s demands. Nevertheless, little progress was made in the subsequent rounds of negotiations. Ladakhi delegates met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi in March. The local leaders, however, claimed that the Home Minister had rejected their main objectives, and the negotiations quickly broke down.