Mainstream WeeklyA movement has been going on in Ladakh to protect its fragile ecosystem and its cultural identity by raising a demand for inclusion of Ladakh in the VI Schedule of the Indian Constitution since the last two years. The Bhartiya Janata Party had in its election manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha elections included this as the third item for Ladakh region. The BJP also made the same promise in Autonomous Hill Development Council elections in 2020. But now it has gone back on the promise. Sonam Wangchuk, the face of this movement now, sat on a fast for the first time in 2023 and now he is on his fifth fast. Every time he increases a week in the duration of fast. The ongoing fast has been announced for 35 days and it began on 10 September.
The movement is being coordinated by Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance. Leh and Kargil are two districts of Ladakh, the former being Buddhist dominated and the latter Muslim dominated. So far the two organizations have demonstrated excellent unity for their common purpose. The People