The newly created Drass district in Ladakh witnessed its first shutdown on Friday against the allotment of the lowest number of elected constituencies among eight hill councils, signalling a shift in the focus of protests from collective regional concerns to local issues.
Ladakhi politicians believe the creation of eight districts and separate hill councils threatens to dilute the political relevance of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, which are spearheading Ladakh’s joint movement for statehood and constitutional safeguards. Leh and Kargil are now reduced to two of its eight districts.
Many in Ladakh also believe that the Centre is trying to fragment the broader movement for special status under the Sixth Schedule or Article 371 and keep them preoccupied with parochial grievances.
The Ladakh administration has rushed major decisions, including creating six additional districts (bringing the total to eight, including Leh and Kargil) and announcing panchayat elections without a Union Territory-level elected body, triggering opposition. Panchayat elections will be held next month.
There have been several localised protests in Ladakh in the last two years over area-specific grievances. Friday’s shutdown marked a first against the allotment of elected constituencies for the eight districts.
Drass leaders complained that the district has bagged only seven constituencies, the lowest for any district in Ladakh.
Ladakh leader Abdul Samad, who served as the councillor of the recently dissolved Kargil Hill Development Council, said Drass observed a complete shutdown.
“Compare us with Zanskar. They have nine constituencies for 13,000 people while we have seven constituencies for 21,000 people,” Samad said.