The curfew continued on the third consecutive day, in Leh town of Ladakh region in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The curfew was clamped in the town on Wednesday evening after four civilians were killed and dozens injured by Indian forces’ firing and teargas shelling on defenceless protesters in Leh town.
Leh District Magistrate Romil Singh Donk has ordered closure of all government and private schools, colleges and other educational institutions for two days from today.
The people of the region, under the Leh Apex Body (LAB), were demanding their political rights, including Statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh region.
Over 50 persons were detained by Indian police while strict restrictions under prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons also remained in force in other major towns, including Kargil district of the region.
Indian army and paramilitary personnel in riot gear were seen patrolling the deserted streets across Ladakh region to thwart any anti-Indian government protests.
People in many areas complained they are running short of essential supplies, including ration, milk and vegetables.
Protests, curfew, killings, arrests and raids — Modi regime’s “normalcy” narrative lies shattered on Ladakh’s streets
From broken promises to brutal crackdowns, Ladakh stands betrayed by New Delhi several times, and it is due to six years of betrayal that it exploded into mass protests in Leh on Wednesday, the political leaders said.
The protests in Leh and Kargil show the truth that the people’s patience has run out with the Indian BJP government’s broken promises and betrayals with them after abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.
The undercurrent of violent agitation in Ladakh, which erupted in 2020, has its roots in the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A after both Leh and Kargil had realized that they had become politically powerless and were facing an existential threat. The newly formed Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh was created without any provision for a legislature, meaning the people could no longer be the masters of their own land.
The residents of Ladakh are now demanding full Statehood, Sixth Schedule status, and job reservations — measures they believe are essential to protect their identity, demographic composition, land rights, and employment opportunities, the analysts said.
There is a growing fear among residents and experts in Leh and Kargil that the existing UT structure will open the floodgates for people from across India to settle in the region. They worry this will dramatically alter the demographic profile, threaten their cultural and ethnic identity, and lead to a loss of land and jobs for locals. There has long been a belief in RSS-influenced strategic and military circles that border security in Ladakh — especially against China and Pakistan — can only be enhanced through increased settlement along the border, the observers said.
