The representative from Lower Leh, Congress leader Tsering Namgyal is the Leader of Opposition in the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). He speaks to The Indian Express about the allegations against the Congress over the September 24 violence, and about the differences within the Apex Body, Leh (ABL), which is spearheading the protests for statehood and inclusion under Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. Excerpts:
When Ladakh became a Union Territory (after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019), we had great expectations… We thought now there will be more jobs, business, better life. Then we realised this UT was without a Legislature. Congress leader Nawang Rigzin Jora ji was the first to raise the issue of the Sixth Schedule, saying (it was needed as) we had lost the protection of Article 370. Then (climate activist) Sonam Wangchuk picked up the issue.
The government also indicated that it would give the Sixth Schedule. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2020 LAHDC elections, the BJP put the promise in its manifesto. Then Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda came here and said the same. But after the BJP won the council elections in 2020, all this talk stopped.
Then an agitation started which was taken forward by the ABL and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Four-five years passed, and then the Honorable Home Minister Sahab (Amit Shah) said we will not give you the Sixth Schedule.
Plus, no recruitment was happening. A majority of the jobs that were created were contractual… Two councils came, three Lt Governors came, but jobs did not come… They said we cannot give Ladakh a public service commission because it is not a state. It took the government four to five years to even come up with a recruitment policy… Even daily wagers were not regularised. The kind of impetus that tourism should have got, did not happen. Then the Agniveer Scheme dashed hopes further. The Army is one of the biggest recruiters in Ladakh.
So the anger was building up among the youth. Students were protesting regularly. What happened on September 24 was that this pressure cooker just burst.
* The administration is saying it had no option but to open fire at the protesters, with four youths being killed.
There are protests across the country… how are they dealt with? There is lathicharge, water cannon. But here you straightaway fired on our children. They were hit in the head and chest. We are not terrorists. We are people who sacrifice their lives for the country… There is a big question mark on the administration’s actions. There should be an impartial enquiry.
* The Congress and Sonam Wangchuk are accused of instigating the crowds.
When you want to hide your failures, you have to blame somebody. The BJP, the LAHDC and the UT administration failed to live up to the expectations of the people. I condemn what happened (on September 24). (But) How can you blame Sonam Wangchuk and the Congress? Wangchuk’s father Sonam Wangyal was a Congress minister but was expelled from the party for anti-party activities. Almost all of Wangchuk’s siblings are associated with the BJP. One of his brothers is a former chief executive councillor from the BJP. Wangchuk was himself all praise for Narendra Modi when Ladakh was given UT status. So this attempt to connect this whole thing with the Congress is baseless.
The BJP alleged that our Upper Leh Councillor, Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, was involved in the violence… Ultimately, it was proved that the BJP was lying…
Another of our councillors, Smanla Dorjey Norboo, has been booked. All he did was say that if anything happened to people from his constituency, he would not tolerate it… It was an emotional outburst. Even BJP leaders make statements like ‘Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko (The traitors of the country… they should be shot)’.
You can’t blame this on the Congress. We struggle to gather 200 people for our rallies.
As far as Sonam Wangchuk is concerned, I don’t think he has anything to do with it (too). All he is doing is taking the voice of Ladakh forward… He is an international figure and very popular. Because of him, our agitation got a lot of strength… When he was protesting in Delhi, even BJP leaders would meet him and say our demands were legitimate, but that they could not speak openly.
You gave Sikkim, with a population of just over 2 lakh, statehood. We have a population of 3 lakh.
* Is there a rift within the ABL, with both Congress leader Jora and co-chair Thupstan Chhewang resigning? The Congress is out of the High Powered Committee negotiating with the government.
Given Wangchuk’s popularity and stature, we thought he should be a part of the committee negotiating with the government… We thought Wangchuk could articulate the demands better… Jora sahab was rooting for him. The ABL accepted it, and he was made a part of the committee.
But, for some reason, the government said it would not talk to Wangchuk. Meanwhile, the May 27 domicile notification came (reserving 85% of government jobs for Ladakh domiciles), which was thrust upon us by the Centre. Another meeting was supposed to happen in a month. Chhewang sahab was worried that talks would get derailed. So, Chhewang sahab communicated to Wangchuk that he could not go for the talks…
When it was clear that Delhi did not want Wangchuk sahab and there was some acrimony within the ABL, Jora sahab withdrew from the talks committee. Then Thupsta Chhewang ji resigned from the ABL alleging ‘competing interests’ and ‘politics’. But then the BJP people said that until Chhewang sahab came back, there would be no talks. Wangchuk then agreed to not be a part of the talks. And the Congress also withdrew (to keep politics out).
For the Congress, it was not important to be a part of the talks, but to achieve Ladakh’s objectives. Everyone then started trying to convince Chhewang sahab to come back and he did eventually. But all these things had an impact on the talks.
* Was the Congress also opposed to the ABL accepting 15 years of residency in Ladakh as the domicile condition, instead of 30 years?
When the committee was going to discuss the issue with the Centre, the consensus was that for domicile, the period of residency should be 30 years post 2019 or a cut-off year of 1989 be set. But, the Centre surprised everyone by putting 15 years on the table and saying we are not going to give you more. Our leaders accepted it because the youth were anxious for jobs.
* How functional are the Leh and Kargil Autonomous Development Councils under the UT administration?
Earlier, the Leh council was the power centre. Now there is an entire set-up above us, including the LG, so many Secretaries and directors, and police. The council has got lost (amidst all this). Its jurisdiction is only up to the district level. The Leh council is not mandated to even look after the affairs of various departments, which are under various directors.
Land rights, so to say, are with the council, but its recommendations are often ignored. When a Secretary issues an order, even its copy is not furnished to the council. At social ceremonies such as Republic Day, there is no protocol for councils. For so many years no one knew where they would sit. It was sorted out only recently after protests.
The council is seen as a roadblock by the UT administration. They think we are doing all the work, what is this council doing in between?… Our council budget used to be non-lapsible earlier. It is not so anymore. This year the budget has been tanked by Rs 89 crore. Of the entire budget of Ladakh, councils get only 10%. On policy decisions, councils are never consulted.
* Where do you see this going?
After what has happened, the government will have to take discussions (over Ladakh) very seriously… If there is a positive thought process, I am sure the Centre will be able to take care of the aspirations of the people of Ladakh… Any wrong step in Ladakh will not be in the interest of the country. It is very important to keep people in border areas happy. What’s the big deal about giving statehood and the Sixth Schedule? People will administer themselves and work for the country with even greater commitment.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Tsering Namgyal says the BJP, the LAHDC and the UT administration failed to live up to the expectations of the people. 
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