Centre ready to fulfil Ladakh's aspirations, asks for 'patience'

SRINAGAR: Ladakh groups must exercise patience while awaiting a legislative body under Article 371, according to chief secretary Ashish Kundra, who spoke to the media in Leh on Thursday. This follows discussions with the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in Delhi. Kundra clarified that an in-principle agreement exists, but the creation of a legislative body still requires a constitutional amendment with a two-thirds consensus in Parliament.

The chief secretary explained that the Centre handed Ladakh groups a list of eight to 10 questions, which they do not have immediate answers to. These questions concern the powers vested on Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) and the jurisdiction of the Union Territory-level body. Kundra emphasized that the parliamentary process might take time and requested the Ladakhi leadership to acknowledge this.

The Centre aims to move forward only after discussions with everyone, and it is the responsibility of the leadership to foster a positive environment and give people hope that progress is being made.