Mistrust in Ladakh: On the violence, legitimate aspirations

Shaun

4 months ago

The festering unrest in the Union Territory of Ladakh turned violent on September 24, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of four persons and several others being injured. In the eyes of the Centre, the protest leaders had acted in bad faith even as efforts were underway to address their long-standing demands.

These are Statehood for Ladakh, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (which grants autonomy to tribal areas), reservation in jobs for locals, and greater political representation. The leaders and organisations at the forefront of the agitation have, however, said that the arson and violence were carried out by those outside their control. The protesters and the Centre have appealed to the youth of Ladakh to remain calm.

The Ladakh protests have been championed by two major civil society coalitions — the Leh Apex Body (LAB), representing Buddhist-majority Leh, and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), representing Muslim-majority Kargil. While these groups do have many disagreements, they are united in a four-point agenda for constitutional safeguards and greater political autonomy for the region.

On Wednesday (September 24, 2025), a shutdown called by the youth wing of LAB turned violent in Leh, which included the burning of the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the vandalising of the headquarters of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC).

The Centre and these outfits had reached an agreement in May 2025, which seemingly addressed core concerns through measures such as 95% reservation in jobs for locals (including STs and EWS), 33% reservation for women in the Hill Development Council, strict domicile criteria, and recognition of local languages such as Bhoti, Purgi, Balti and Shina.

However, on September 23, the hospitalisation of two elderly protesters, who were on a hunger strike with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, triggered a fresh round of public protest mostly led by youth. The Centre now alleges that Mr. Wangchuk is instigating violence while a resolution to all demands has been in the works. The Centre has also hinted at the involvement of foreign elements.

There is evidently a gap between the perceptions of the protesters and the Centre on both the issues at hand and the way forward. Ladakh is a sensitive security spot for the country. This makes it all the more important that the people of the region are taken into confidence even while troublemakers are brought under control. The legitimate aspirations of the people can be addressed without compromising India’s security requirements.