The Ladakh administration has alleged foreign and political involvement in the recent violence in Leh, even as Apex Body, Leh has called it a spontaneous reaction of youth frustrated with lack of opportunities in the Union Territory. A long-time RSS and BJP leader from Jammu, who served as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir when Ladakh was a part of the erstwhile state, Kavinder Gupta was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh just two months ago. In an interview with The Indian Express, he speaks on the violence, issues concerning Ladakh and how the government plans to resolve them.
We have taken care of the demands of Ladakh. The Government of India is engaged with the issues and is holding dialogue with representatives here. Based on their demands, the government recently said that 85% of government jobs would be reserved for domiciled Ladakhis – over and above the 10% quota for EWS. That virtually covers the whole population.
Large-scale recruitments have also been carried out. Since 2019, 8,000 jobs have been given. This is in addition to 4,000 jobs for daily wagers and 5,000 jobs in the Ladakh Scouts (of the Indian Army). Then the tourism and homestay ecosystem has been strengthened. Opportunities are also being created in the field of agriculture.
The people of Ladakh are good people. They have a positive response towards the Army and the country. We want that whatever issues the people have, these should be resolved through dialogue.
* Then why the violence and the four deaths in police action? Why does Ladakh feel so dissatisfied?
What happened was unfortunate… The government is doing everything possible. Ladakh used to have a budget of Rs 250 crore. It is now Rs 6,000 crore. In addition, there is the Army budget. This is a vast land of 60,000 sq km. The population density is 7 people per sq km. There has been massive infrastructure development. Even where there are just four houses, a road is reaching people.
As far as their (the protesters’) demands are concerned, I am sure the government of India will do all that is possible within the limits of the Constitution.
* The general complaint is that in the past six years, since the abrogation of Article 370 and Ladakh being carved out as a separate UT, even a recruitment policy has not been framed. Jobs are few and far between, and most of them are contractual.
Ladakh is a newly formed UT, everything takes time. And even J&K has around one lakh contractual employees. But this does not mean you engage in violence. We recently notified 1,000 jobs under the UPSC (central civil services) and the SSC (state staff selection commission). There is a teacher for every seven students in Ladakh. All schools have proper buildings, smart classes and our offices have become paperless. We are developing all sectors, engaging the youth in sports. We are spending Rs 550 crore in building stadiums, some of which have already been built. All hospitals are being upgraded.
* Civil society organisations allege that the two hill councils in Ladakh with autonomous powers, in Leh and Kargil, have become defunct, and that all the powers are with the UT administration now.
That is not true. Hill councils have all the land with them. We do not interfere in those matters at all. Today hill councils are getting a lot of funds. They have a budget of Rs 300 crore each. That once used to be the budget of the entire Ladakh. Central schemes are saturated (reached 100% of the beneficiaries) here. People across the region are availing the benefits.
* Then why are the people protesting?
What happened on September 24 cannot be connected with this (job concerns). You have to see how the people were instigated. A certain political party was involved in all this. The leaders leading the agitation are themselves saying it went out of their control. That political party conducted a press conference saying they will burn down the BJP office. They burnt down the LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council) office. It is a democratic institution. Some protesters tried to snatch weapons from security forces. If police had not taken the decision to open fire that day, the entire Ladakh would have been burnt down. The unity and integrity of the country cannot be compromised. But I assure you, none of this will impede the development and progress of Ladakh.
* People now fear that with the protection of Article 370 gone, there will be a demographic change in Ladakh, with outsiders rushing in.
When the state of J&K was bifurcated into two Union Territories, J&K was given the benefit of a 15-year domicile (to avail benefits), and it was retrospective. That is, anyone who had been living in J&K for 15 years at the time that it became a UT, could get a domicile certificate. In Ladakh, the domicile policy is prospective. It will kick in only after 2034.
When Ladakh was a part of J&K, people of that region used to stay here. Isn’t Ladakh a part of India? Is it a foreign country?
* Civil society leaders, including Sonam Wangchuk, have raised concerns over certain industrial projects in Ladakh, such as the development of solar power parks, saying it would create a water crisis in this ecologically fragile zone.
People are concerned about jobs, but only when investments come from outside will jobs be created. Our industrial policy is sustainable and ecologically sensitive. We are taking care of ecological concerns. But that said, if the Army has to build infrastructure at Galwan, will it be stopped because of ecological concerns? Whatever is necessary for national security will have to be done.
* What is the administration doing to create employment opportunities in Ladakh beyond government jobs?
We are promoting homestays in remote villages in Ladakh. The government provides all necessary paraphernalia required to run homestays to villagers. Only in Ladakh this facility exists. It is to ensure that people do not have to migrate out of their villages. Under the Mudra Yojana, people are being provided assistance for self-employment. To promote horticulture, the government is giving greenhouses to people. Hotels and other establishments have been encouraged and provided assistance to use solar power. People are now earning by selling power to the grid.
Doctors posted in remote areas under the National Health Mission here get a salary of Rs 2.5 lakh a month. My own salary is only Rs 2.25 lakh.
* What is your message to Ladakh youth?
I am with the people of Ladakh. I have been J&K Deputy CM and know Ladakh very well. I will sit with the youth and find a solution to their problems. We will engage with Ladakh intellectuals. We will discuss all issues with an open heart and mind. We are committed to working for the betterment of Ladakh, balancing all the concerns.
Ladakh L-G Kavinder Gupta 
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