LADAKH PROTESTS

25.09.2025

LADAKH PROTESTS

Context

Protests in Ladakh’s Leh, led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, escalated into riots with vehicles torched and government offices targeted. About 30 security personnel were injured, prompting curfew, as authorities accused Wangchuk of invoking global protest movements.

The Ladakh Protests

The protests represent long-standing grievances of the people of Ladakh, who argue that promises made after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 remain unfulfilled.
 Key Triggers:

• Hunger strike by Sonam Wangchuk to highlight regional demands.
   
• Participation of youth who targeted political party offices and the Ladakh Hill Council.
   
• Growing discontent over lack of autonomy and protection of local rights.
   

Core Demands of the People

The movement is built around three major demands:

1. Statehood for Ladakh – To provide full legislative authority and empower the region beyond its current Union Territory status.
    
2. Inclusion in the Sixth Schedule – To ensure constitutional protection for tribal communities through Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), granting the power to frame local laws and safeguard culture, land, and resources.
    
3. Job Security – To guarantee employment opportunities for Ladakh residents and prevent large-scale inflow of outsiders into the local workforce.
    

Political Background: From Statehood to Union Territory

• 2019 Developments: With the abrogation of Article 370, the state of Jammu & Kashmir lost its special status and was split into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
   
• Governance Gap: Unlike J&K, Delhi, and Puducherry, which have legislatures, Ladakh was created without one, leaving it directly under the administration of a Lieutenant Governor.
   
• Local Concerns:
   
  • Fear of demographic changes due to migration from other regions.
     
  • Loss of control over land and natural resources.
     
  • Threats to cultural identity, traditions, and tribal heritage.
     

Government Actions: June 2025 Reforms

To address public discontent, the central government introduced several regulations in mid-2025:

1. Job Safeguards – Domicile-based recruitment requiring 15 years of residence in Ladakh or education qualifications from the region. Children of central employees posted in Ladakh for over a decade were also included.
    
2. Education and Reservation – Amendments increased reservation in professional institutions from 50% to 85% (nearly 95% including the EWS quota).
    
3. Language Recognition – The Ladakh Official Language Regulation, 2025, listed English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purigi as official languages, while also safeguarding others such as Shaina, Balti, and Ladakhi.
    

The Sixth Schedule and Its Challenges

• What It Is: A constitutional provision aimed at protecting tribal populations in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram by enabling the creation of ADCs and Autonomous Regional Councils.
   
• Powers of ADCs: Authority over land, forests, inheritance, taxation, schools, healthcare, and infrastructure. Councils are composed of elected and nominated members.
   
• Historical Basis: The Sixth Schedule was enacted following the recommendations of the Bordoloi Committee to safeguard tribal interests in the Northeast.
   
• Ladakh’s Challenge: Since the Sixth Schedule is restricted to Northeastern states, extending it to Ladakh would require a constitutional amendment. The Fifth Schedule, which protects Scheduled Tribes elsewhere in India, is considered an alternative, but Ladakhis argue it does not provide adequate autonomy.
   

Strategic and Cultural Importance of Ladakh

• Geopolitical Value: As a sensitive border region with China and Pakistan, Ladakh holds immense strategic importance for India’s national security.
   
• Cultural Identity: Home to a predominantly tribal population, Ladakh’s unique traditions, languages, and Buddhist heritage are central to its demand for greater autonomy.
   
• Demographic Concerns: Locals fear that without protective measures, an influx of non-residents will erode their cultural and demographic balance.
   

Conclusion

The Ladakh protests highlight discontent over political disempowerment and cultural fears since UT status in 2019. Despite reforms on jobs, reservations, and language, unresolved demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion require balancing security, constitutional limits, and tribal aspirations.