Binoo Joshi
JK News Today
Jammu
The Union Home Minister Mr Amit Shah’s prompt response and intervention in the crisis that had threatened to roll on in the union territory of Ladakh where the people were demanding safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution has resolved the issue to a large extent . The crisis has been defused in time.
In less than 24 hours after Amit Shah met the leaders of Ladakh who had given a call for boycotting Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council polls to press their demand for the safeguards of their rights to land, jobs, culture etc, the Ladakhi leaders have put on hold their boycott call, virtually withdrawn it .
Kiren Rijiju,, Union Minister of state for youth affairs and sports, at a joint press conference with leaders of Ladakh in New Delhi on Sunday , said that the “ Home Minister has assured that their ( Ladakh leaders ) demand would be looked into and all possible measures possible within the constitution considered .”
This assurance coming from Amit Shah who is known for honouring his word should offer a sufficient ground for the Ladakhi leaders to go back to their place with satisfaction over the outcome of their meeting with the Home Minister. That is key to the things to happen in their favour in future.
Former M P from Ladakh, Thupstan Cheewang, who led the delegation that held a meeting with the Home Minister yesterday , said at the press conference that they trust the Government, for it was the Narendra Modi Government that had fulfilled their long pending demand of the grant of the UT status to Ladakh.
When translated , these words meant, if the Modi Government could meet such a big demand, the protection of the rights of the people under sixth schedule , too, would be considered and acceded to .
Amit Shah has saved a big situation in Ladakh. The demand of the people has its genuine elements in it. He has assured that it would be looked into it. And, it was he who had announced and then given a practical shape to grant of the UT status to Ladakh – August 5, 2019 – Reorganisation of J&K that carved out a separate UT for Ladakh . The new UT formally came into being on October 31st last year- in less than 100 days-96 to be precise. That is the working style of Amit Shah under the overall patronage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Strategic dimension is more critical . Had the people of Ladakh gone for the boycott of polls , it would have been a big embarrassment for Delhi and the UT administration as the enemies of the country would have exploited it as a failure of the Government of India’s policy on Ladakh. They would have also linked it to J&K and revocation of its special status .
Shah has pre-empted the moves of the hostile neighbours and other vested interests by his quick reaction to the situation.
As China is locked in a tense standoff with Indian troops in Eastern Ladakh , any ground for the public anger , its depiction in the polls, would have created an unpleasant situation in the areas. That was to be avoided with strategic thinking and action . That has been done with precision by Home Minister and his team .
Appreciating the undiluted patriotic credentials of the people who are the un-uniformed soldiers in the borderlands , Amit Shah has taken a progressive step in defusing the crisis.
