Centre, Ladakh leaders resume talks, release of protesters tops agenda

In what is being seen as the first sign of a thaw following weeks of tension, leaders from Ladakh met officials of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on Wednesday for sub-committee level talks — their first engagement since four people were killed in police firing during the pro-statehood protests in Leh in September.

During the meeting, representatives of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) pressed for the immediate release of all arrested leaders, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has emerged as the most visible face of the statehood agitation. They also demanded that the families of those killed in the 24 September police firing be adequately compensated.

Talks between the Centre and the two Ladakh organisations had collapsed after the violence in Leh, in which four protesters were killed and scores injured. The LAB and KDA had subsequently boycotted the high-powered committee (HPC) meeting convened by the MHA on 6 October, saying dialogue could not continue while people were in custody.

The invitation for Wednesday’s talks had originally been extended on 20 September, but the unrest in Leh stalled the process. The last formal round of discussions between the two sides had taken place in May.

Lok Sabha MP from Ladakh Mohmad Haneefa, who participated in the meeting, said the delegation came “with an open mind” and expressed cautious optimism. “This was our first meeting, and we can’t expect much from it. But we raised the issue of immediate release of all those who were arrested on or after 24 September, including Sonam Wangchuk,” he told reporters after the discussions.

Wangchuk, who has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail. The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner “prejudicial to the defence of India”. The law allows preventive detention for up to 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.

Sajjad Kargili of the Kargil Democratic Alliance said apart from demanding the release of detainees, the delegation also sought compensation for those killed in the firing. “We are hopeful that the government will respond positively to our demands,” he said.

The resumption of talks comes days after the MHA announced a judicial commission of inquiry headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to probe the Leh violence. According to the official notification, the commission has been tasked with investigating “the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, the police action, and the resultant unfortunate deaths of four people”.

Retired district and sessions judge Mohan Singh Parihar has been appointed as the judicial secretary, and IAS officer Tushar Anand will serve as the administrative secretary of the panel.

The 24 September clashes, in which security forces opened fire on demonstrators demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, left four civilians dead and about 90 injured, sharply escalating the months-long agitation.

The appointment of a retired Supreme Court judge was one of the protesters’ key demands, intended to ensure an impartial investigation. Officials hope the move will help rebuild trust and reopen dialogue with the LAB and KDA, which represent Leh and Kargil respectively and have been leading the statehood campaign.

The core issues on the table remain unchanged. The LAB and KDA have sought full statehood for Ladakh, with its own legislative Assembly, and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule to protect the region’s fragile ecology, land rights, and cultural identity. They have also demanded two Lok Sabha seats, autonomous district councils, and a dedicated recruitment board to address rising unemployment among Ladakh’s youth and secure job reservations for local residents.

While Wednesday’s meeting was described as preliminary, both sides are expected to hold further discussions in the coming weeks. For Ladakh’s representatives, the release of those detained and the government’s response to their demands will determine whether dialogue can truly resume after the bloodshed in Leh.

With PTI inputs