Ladakh observes shutdown to express anguish over unfulfilled promises of employment

SRINAGAR: Ladakh observed a complete strike on the Friday to express anguish and apprehension against official policies, especially for employment generation and recruitment.
It was the first strike since the region was cut off from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and declared a separate Union Territory. Locals alleged that the promises made in the wake of the August 5, 2019, decision have not been fulfilled and that the youths in the region, instead of getting more opportunities, are staring at a crisis in absence of any job security and avenues of employment.

The strike, called by the All India Kargil Ladakh Students Union (AIKLSU), a conglomerate of students association of Ladakhi students functional across India, garnered support from all political parties including the BJP and other religious and business organisations.

Students raised the issue of non-announcement of results of the examinations conducted in October 2019 for various posts by the recruitment board and of the J&K Bank declaring the residents of Ladakh ineligible for posts for which examination was conducted in 2018.

“We are apprehensive about our future. We don’t have any domicile law, which would ensure to protect our jobs and culture. Recently many outsiders were employed on contracts as junior engineers and medical officers,” said Muhammad Hussain, a member of AIKLSU.

The strike paralyzed normal life both in Leh and Kargil and the support of political, religious and business organizations strengthened the impact of the protest.

“The August 5, 2019 decision has pushed us into the pre-1979 dark ages when Kargil was a Tehsil. The government doesn’t even care about people who have fought for the nation in the wars of 1947, 61, 75, 99 and even today,” said Sajad Kargili, a social activist, who unsuccessfully contested 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Student activists threatened to take more serious route, if their demands weren’t met by the administration immediately. “Students and aspirants tried to reach out to the administration, but to no avail. In future we will vociferously raise our demands and mull to take aggressive steps against anti-Ladakh policies of the administration,” said R D Chemdey, president of the Ladakh Students Union in Leh.

The strike in Ladakh comes at a time, when the region is facing crisis on the eastern border where armies of India and China are engaged in a bitter face off for around three months now.

“The administration is not doing anything for youth in Ladakh. Kargil didn’t demand UT status, but we were told that secession from J&K is the ultimate way to prosperity, but it is turning out to be the biggest lie,” said Kargili.