Leh, October 3 All Ladakhis today joined hands and asked the visiting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in one voice that they wanted Ladakh to be declared as Union Territory status as the “ Kashmiri rule” was suffocating them and had halted the development and progress of the region.
In a rare moment of unity heads of all the political parties – ideologically poles apart- BJP, National Conference, PDP, Congress- and community leaders of Buddhists, Muslims, Christians , reminded the Home Minister of his promise made during parliamentary elections in 2014 that the region would be granted UT status. Rajnath Singh had said that the Article 370 that grants special position to Jammu and Kashmir was a hurdle and it would be removed.
However, nothing happened on the issue I n the past over 30 months since the parliamentary polls were held.
The leaders in a memorandum said that the region should be granted the UT status and also the legislature so that it could take care of its affairs in a better manner and fulfill the needs of rthe people of the region, who were feeling neglected and suffering from acute backwardness.
The memorandum also reflected on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the memorandum said, it makes it imperative for the Government of India to keep the peaceful region away from the violence and troubles that the Valley is experiencing because of its volatile protests.
“ We want to stay peaceful and live a peaceful life . The Kashmir situation was affecting us too as the state government had become dysfunctional and the region was not getting due attention nor the funds for its development.”
