“I want to tell the government that Ladakh is a border state. China is lurking, and they have occupied our land. It is time to resolve this issue quickly. The government should hold talks and find a solution,” Abdullah told reporters.
When asked about the government blaming climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for the recent violence, the former chief minister defended the peace activist, stating, “He (Wangchuk) has never left the Gandhian way. The youth have sidelined him today. He is not responsible for it.”
Abdullah further criticized the government’s handling of the situation. “When they (BJP) lost the elections, they imposed safety laws and put people in jails. Now they are using the CBI. The more they use force to suppress, the bigger the danger. I want to tell the government of India not to use force and instead hold dialogue,” he added.
The unrest in Ladakh turned violent on Wednesday during a day-long shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which is backing an agitation demanding statehood for Ladakh. Four people were killed, and at least 80 others were injured in the clashes.
Asked if there were any external forces stirring trouble in Ladakh, Abdullah dismissed the suggestion, stating, “There is no external hand. It is the voice of the people.”
He highlighted the ongoing demands of the people. “For the past five years, the people of Ladakh have been silently protesting for Sixth Schedule status and statehood. Their leader even walked from Leh to Delhi to press for the demands. He adopted the Gandhian way, not agitation. But the youth felt that the promises were hollow. The result was that they could not bear it any more,” he explained.
Abdullah urged the Centre to learn a lesson from the Ladakh situation and fulfill its promises regarding Jammu and Kashmir. “Statehood was promised to Jammu and Kashmir, but where is it? They should learn a lesson. Where are the promises you made with us? Where are the jobs? People from outside are being imposed,” he said.
When asked if his party supported the violent agitation in Ladakh, Abdullah responded, “The National Conference has never left the Gandhian way. We gave sacrifices but never resorted to violence. However, what the youth do in the future, I cannot say for sure.”
Addressing the BJP’s blame on Congress for the Ladakh violence, he remarked, “It was an attempt to deflect responsibility. BJP has been ruling since 2019. Where did the Congress come from? They (BJP) always try to deflect. Congress cannot gather even 10 persons.”
Abdullah held the Central government leaders responsible for the current situation in Ladakh. “Hold talks, don’t just talk about holding talks. The leaders in Delhi are responsible for what is happening. They kept the people busy with talks without anything substantial. The youth feel let down. The government should move faster now and resolve the issue,” he urged.
He warned that if a void is left in the Ladakh region, others may try to fill it. “Somebody will fill the gap. It is a very sensitive area. They (China) are craving for Ladakh. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had gone to China. Why did he go there? To improve relations,” Abdullah stated.
Touching on international dynamics, Abdullah said, “The United States is now blaming India for the Russian war on Ukraine. America is coming after us for buying Russian oil. President Trump accused us of supporting the war on Ukraine, but the truth is we have not supported it.”
Reacting to the government’s assertion that no land has been occupied by China in Ladakh, Abdullah countered, “The whole world knows how much land they have taken. We cannot even patrol our land. How long will we live in a world of lies?” he charged.
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