Ladakh violence: Left parties blame Centre

New Delhi, Sep 24 (PTI) Left parties slammed the Centre on Wednesday as violent protests broke out in Leh, with the CPI(M) accusing the ruling BJP of betraying the people of the region and the CPI(ML) Liberation holding the Union government "solely responsible" for the situation.

Four people were killed and more than 45, including 22 policemen, injured in daylong clashes during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which is backing an agitation for five years, demanding statehood for Ladakh.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, a police vehicle and several other cars were set ablaze by the protesters.

In a post on X, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby accused the BJP of having "betrayed" the people of "Leh and Tripura". He, however, added that attacking party offices is not the solution.

"The BJP has yet again betrayed the adivasis and the people of Leh and Tripura. People's anger is reflected on the streets, though attack on party offices is not the solution," the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said.

"We strongly condemn the brutal repression unleashed by the administration against the people of Ladakh, which resulted in the tragic loss of four lives," he said.

In a statement issued here, the CPI(ML) Liberation said demands for statehood have been emerging from both Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Centre has turned a blind eye to these demands.

"The (Narendra) Modi government is solely responsible for this entire situation, having trampled the Constitution, dismantled federalism and denied the people their democratic rights in order to tighten its authoritarian grip over the region," the CPI(ML) said.

"The Modi regime had arbitrarily scrapped Article 370 in 2019 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir, reducing it into two Union territories. The demand for statehood has been raised consistently by the people of both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Yet, the Modi-led BJP government has turned a blind eye to the democratic aspirations of the people," it said.

The Left party said Wednesday's protests in Ladakh, which saw thousands participating, reflect the growing anger against years of suppression of people's rights and demands.

"Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, whose fast at the NDS Ground in Leh entered its 15th day on Wednesday, has been urging the government to listen to the people of Ladakh. The health of several activists protesting alongside him has been deteriorating, highlighting the urgency of the situation," it said.

It pointed out that along with statehood, the people of Ladakh are also demanding special constitutional provisions under the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal interests, empower local governance through autonomous district councils and protect the fragile ecological environment of the region.

"Besides the democratic aspirations of the people in Ladakh, another matter of grave concern is the protection of Ladakh from corporate plunder of land and resources, as seen in other hilly regions across the country. The first-of-its-kind reduction of a region from the status of a state to a Union Territory has snatched people's right to participate in decision-making and planning processes," the CPI(ML) said.

It called upon the Centre to "respect the democratic aspirations of the people, immediately engage with people of Ladakh, and ensure statehood along with inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution".

The BJP-led Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019 and bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. PTI AO RC