Kargil, Nov 11: Normal life came to a complete standstill across the frontier district of Kargil on Sunday as all commercial markets, retail establishments, and vehicular transport remained shut in response to a united bandh call demanding the immediate resumption of high-level dialogue between the Central Government and Ladakh’s representative leadership.
The total shutdown was organized under the banner of the Kargil Civil Society, with unanimous endorsement from prominent religious and political bodies, including the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust (IKMT), and the Anjuman Jamiat-e-Ulama Isna Asharia Kargil (AJUIAK). Public transport remained off the roads and trade centers in Main Bazar, Lal Chowk, and peripheral subdivisions wore a completely deserted look.
Addressing the press during peaceful protest demonstrations, civil society leaders expressed acute frustration over the prolonged stalemate in negotiations with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. They urged the Centre to re-engage with the joint leadership of the Leh Apex Body and the KDA to address their core four-point agenda, which encompasses full statehood for Ladakh, constitutional protections under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, dedicated Public Service Commission (PSC) employment rights for local youth, and separate parliamentary representation for Leh and Kargil.
The protesting organizations also expressed sharp opposition to the administration’s decision to schedule the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections in early December. They argued that sub-zero temperatures, freezing blizzards, mountain pass blockades, and winter seasonal migrations create insurmountable logistical barriers for elderly voters and rural residents. As evening set in, thousands of residents participated in a peaceful candlelight march through the central avenues of Kargil to symbolize their democratic aspirations.
Published by True Roots Media