Ladakh administration has clamped down on Kargil and Leh districts, imposing strict restrictions under Section 163 of BNSS 2023 to thwart a peaceful silent march and blackout organized by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The measures come in response to a planned two-hour silent march and three-hour blackout on Saturday, aimed at showing solidarity with victims of the September 24 violence in Leh, where four people were killed and 80 injured in police firing during protests for statehood and 6th Schedule safeguards.
In Kargil, the District Magistrate, Rakesh Kumar, issued an order banning processions, rallies, or marches without prior approval, citing concerns over public order following a report from the SSP Kargil. The use of loudspeakers, public address systems, or statements that could incite unrest is also prohibited. Assemblies of five or more people deemed a threat to public peace are strictly forbidden, with violations punishable under BNSS 2023.
Similar restrictions have been enforced in Leh, where mobile internet services were suspended, and educational institutions were closed to maintain law and order. The September 24 violence, the worst in Ladakh’s history, prompted these measures as LAB and KDA called for protests to honor the victims and demand justice. Protestors were urged to wear black armbands as a symbol of solidarity.
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While the silent march was foiled in Leh due to heavy police and paramilitary presence, Kargil saw hundreds march peacefully from Hussaini Park to the main bus stand, led by KDA leaders Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Kargili. Carrying placards and wearing black bands, they reiterated demands for statehood, 6th Schedule protections, and justice for the September 24 victims.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently ordered a judicial probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into the Leh violence, a move welcomed by KDA and LAB. However, leaders like Sajjad Kargili insist that justice remains incomplete without the release of detainees, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, booked under NSA and jailed in Jodhpur, and compensation for victims. Kargili condemned the restrictions as “colonial-style treatment” and proof of the failure of Ladakh’s Union Territory status.
In Leh, LAB member Ashraf Ali Barcha criticized the administration’s heavy-handed tactics, noting that LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay was placed under house arrest. “The government should hold talks, not suppress us,” Barcha said. KDA’s Karbalai echoed this, demanding the release of detainees and compensation before resuming dialogue with the Centre, emphasizing that talks must focus on statehood and 6th Schedule safeguards.
Despite the crackdown, KDA leaders remain defiant. “The people of Ladakh will not bow or be frightened,” Karbalai declared, thanking civil society for their support and condemning attempts to label Ladakh’s residents as anti-national. As tensions simmer, the region braces for further action in their fight for rights and recognition.
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