Begin Dialogue: Grant Sixth Schedule Status and Statehood to Ladakh
27th Sep, 2025: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), is deeply pained at the unjust turn of events in Ladakh, that has led to the tragic loss of four lives, as a consequence of the Centre’s long-standing neglect of Ladakh’s legitimate demands. We also strongly condemn the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, under the draconian National Security Act. We call for the immediate release of Mr. Wangchuk, dropping NSA charges and a judicial inquiry into killings of the youth during the recent spree of violence. We also demand that Union Government must immediately start a receptive and substantive dialogue with the Ladakhi people on their demand for full Statehood and Sixth Schedule protection under the Constitution, along with ensuring local employment opportunities and more democratic representation at all levels.
India that is Bharat, is characterised most fundamentally by its Constitution. And the constitution of India places the People at the centre – it is “We the People” who determine what India is and what it collectively strives for. Any government of the day can only serve as the trustees of people’s collective will, not its masters. The Ladakhi people have been asking the Union Govt. to honour that social-political contract. The people of Ladakh (both Leh and Kargil) have long safeguarded their unique culture, traditions, and fragile high-altitude environment. They have put in their best, in defense of the nation’s sovereignty, alongside the armed forces, in the remote and difficult border regions.
Today, they face unprecedented challenges: rapid and unregulated pressures from unsustainable ‘development’, ecological degradation, and increasing threats to their treasures of snow-ice cover, land, water, and unique biodiversity. Without constitutional safeguards, Ladakh’s delicate balance between people and nature stands at risk of irreversible damage. The Centre is already actively considering mega projects and policy changes in Ladakh and handing over large swathes of land and resources to corporate entities, as has been happening in other Himalayan states.
Granting Ladakh protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and recognition as a full-fledged state is not only a just demand, but also an urgent necessity. As is required for Sixth schedule protection, overwhelming majority of Ladakhis belong to scheduled tribes. These measures will empower Ladakhi people to exercise greater control over their land, resources, and governance; ensuring that the nature of ‘development activities’ in these fragile lands is sustainable, ecologically responsible, and rooted in local aspirations.
Protecting Ladakh is not just about securing the future of its people, but about preserving one of the world’s most sensitive ecosystems, in the Himalayan region; a region of global environmental significance and of critical political importance for the Govt of India, looking at the cross-border tensions. By listening to and respecting the people of Ladakh, our government can set a historic example of democratic inclusion, ecological stewardship, and justice, along with securing our borders with more local information and co-operation. This would also be the most logical and necessary thing for India to do, as the United Nations observes 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.
By the turn of the movement of Ladakh’s people, Mr Sonam Wangchuk has emerged as one of the effective voice of Ladakhi aspirations. Their demands for Statehood, Sixth schedule protection, more employment opportunities through a Ladakhi controlled public service commission etc and an MP for both Leh & Kargil, are all rooted in Constitutional justification. The Ladakhi leadership of both Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with Mr Sonam Wangchuk, have consistently appealed for and led a completely peaceful movement. It was in this spirit that a fast was started by Mr. Wangchuk and a few other Ladakhis few weeks back.
By falsely blaming Mr Wangchuk for the recent unfortunate violence that claimed four lives in Leh (whereas he clearly condemned the violence and withdrew his fast on the 15th day, refusing to accept any form of violence) and arresting him on false charges, the union govt is unnecessarily and unjustly adding to the tense situation. The Centre is only fuelling more anger and alienation in the region, by singling out Sonam and persecuting him. Suppressing and hitting at voices of peaceful people’s movements often leads to uncontrolled violence and the Union Govt is primarily responsible for fanning this trouble. The state is turning the rightful demand for Sixth schedule and statehood as ‘anti-national’. The Union Govt should be held accountable for lives lost to police bullets, as a result of brutal State response to a democratic struggle.
NAPM stands firmly with the Ladakhi people in their rightful call for Sixth Schedule protection and statehood – to protect their homeland, their culture, and the fragile Himalayas for generations to come.
We demand that the Union govt must immediately:
-Release Sonam Wangchuk, withdraw charges foisted against him under the draconian National Security Act (NSA) and ensure his safe return from Jodhpur to Leh.
-End all repressive measures on the people’s movement of Ladakh, including end to unfair targeting of institutions associated with Mr. Wangchuk.
-Resume a meaningful and conclusive dialogue with the people of Ladakh, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on all their legitimate and democratic demands, in particular immediate grant of sixth schedule status and statehood.
-Institute a high-level and independent judicial enquiry into the incident of violence and firing upon Ladakhi civilians, leading to the tragic death of four persons.
-Ensure full medical support at state cost and compensation to all the injured persons as well as exemplary compensation to the family members of the deceased, along with a permanent government job to one person from those families.
Issued by: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
