New Delhi: A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the firing during the September 24 clashes in Leh, as a magisterial probe cannot hold the Union Territory administration accountable, Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) member Sajjad Kargili said on Saturday.
Kargili made the remarks at an event here organized to release a “fact-finding report” on Ladakh by the Socialist Party of India and NGOs National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and Hum Bharat Ke Log.
Retired bureaucrat and former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, activist Radha Kumar, and Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Chowdhury also supported the demand for statehood and safeguards for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, as advocated by the KDA and Leh Apex Body (LAB).
The Ladakh administration had earlier ordered a magisterial probe into the September 24 violence, which occurred during a shutdown called by LAB youth and left four people dead and many others injured in Leh.
The KDA and LAB, who have been campaigning for these demands, have decided to abstain from talks with the Centre scheduled for October 6 until a judicial inquiry is ordered and all detained individuals, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, are released.
“We have made it clear to the MHA that a judicial probe should be ordered. A magistrate does not have the power to hold the UT administration accountable. We want an impartial judicial inquiry,” Kargili told reporters. He criticized the Union Territory administration, saying, “The lack of accountability over the firing incident reflects the failure of the UT setup.”
Kargili further noted, “The people of Ladakh are facing the same treatment that Kashmir and Manipur have endured. This should not have happened here.” He added that the “labelling” of Ladakhis has created a sense of betrayal, emphasizing that a probe is essential to identify those responsible for the firing.
He also said that the KDA and LAB will deliberate on the next steps, affirming, “Our movement will continue.”
Habibullah described the loss of life as “shameful” and stressed the need for dialogue. “Their demands are simple—they want safeguards for their land and culture,” he said. Highlighting the unnecessary severity of the crackdown, he questioned the government’s apprehensions and drew parallels with unrest in Bangladesh and Nepal, pointing out that ignoring public voices leads to conflict.
MP Iqra Chowdhury voiced support for the demands of Ladakhi groups and said opposition MPs will raise the issue in Parliament.
The “fact-finding report” outlined that the four core demands of the movement are not mere political points but essential, non-negotiable pillars for Ladakh’s survival as a distinct cultural and ecological region. It noted that these demands are legally and morally justified.
The report emphasized that inclusion in the Sixth Schedule is crucial to protect Ladakh’s predominantly tribal population—almost 99% of residents—and its fragile high-altitude ecology from commercial exploitation. Full statehood, it said, is necessary to achieve genuine self-governance, replacing the current Delhi-appointed bureaucratic administration.
It also claimed that the revocation of Article 370 has adversely affected Ladakh. “The region’s rich natural resources, from glaciers and water bodies to mineral deposits including uranium, are being exploited by outside interests with minimal local input,” the report alleged.
The report concluded that the demand for Sixth Schedule status is not new, noting that the BJP had promised it but “has now reneged, leaving the people of Ladakh feeling betrayed by the state they are an integral part of.”
