As chief executive councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council, Thupstan Chhawang is a prominent proponent of trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. He tells Rashme Sehgal that Ladakh's strategic importance should be recognised by making it a Union territory:
Why do you say J&K should be trifurcated?
The people of Ladakh have suffered discrimination in every field. Although part of J&K, we continue to be treated as second-class citizens. When people talk of Kashmir, they talk of the Valley No one seems to realise that Buddhists are also part of this state.
It was only when the Chinese invaded Ladakh that our region shot into prominence. Till that time, we did not have even a proper road link with the rest of J&K. But even today, the kind of representation given to us is minimal — two seats from Kargil and two from Leh. Two more seats were added in 1996 when a parliamentary constituency was created for us. We have no say in Kashmir! politics and even less in national politics. The government cannot be blind to the fact that ours is a very strategic region. That is why we have been demanding that Ladakh be given the status of a Union territory and be governed directly from Delhi.
We want Article 370 to be revoked. This will allow the reorganisation of the state. The National Conference's demand to revert to the 1953 position is hogwash. Granting more autonomy will mean giving more power to the Kashmir! leadership, who will subjugate the Jammu and Ladakh regions further. Let these two regions have separate assemblies. Why should we be subjected to their cultural aggression? Are you saying the situation has not changed at all over the years?
The situation has changed very little. The basic fault lies in the way funds are being allocated. Population size has been made the criterion for the allocation of funds. We have a population of only 2.5 lakh Buddhists but if one looks at our geographical size, Ladakh comprises two-thirds of J&K state. The entire governmental thrust is on the Kashmir valley whereas our population, which lives in remote areas, ends up with nothing, be it health or educational facilities. This problem is further compounded by the tremendous cost of transporting goods to our interiors.
There is no commonality between the three regions of J&K. The Kashmiris speak a different language, have different food habits and follow a different way of life. Several commissions, including the Sikri Commission, have studied our grievances and unanimously declared that this kind of discrimination is unjustified. Unfortunately no government at the Centre has the guts to trifurcate this state because the J&K assembly continues to be dominated by the Kashmiri population
What kind of plan allocation have you been receiving?
Last year, while the state of J&K received Rs 17,000 crore, we received only Rs 84 crore. Ninety per cent of our plan allocation comes as a grant from the Centre. The Ladakhi Council was set up by the Congress in September 1975. This appointment was subsequently ratified by the assembly From that time till today, the financial rules of the council have not been framed. The Darjeeling Council enjoys cabinet status and its chairman has been given the rank of a minister of state. But our demand for a similar position has yet to be met. Revenues earned from here go to the state treasury and are not being utilised in our region.
Our region remains snow-bound for six months in a year. People have to stock food and other provisions for this period. The snow begins to melt in March-April and the government should release these funds to us during this period. The funds reach us only in August-September by which time our working year is practically over. Ladakh can be kept open for 11 months in a year if an all-weather road were to be built at Puramulla. Instead, the state government wants to build a tunnel at Zogila which is being shelled every day by Pakistan.
The J&K government has created more than 1.5 lakh jobs for people in the Valley but our posts in the fields of health. education, public works and engineering continue to lie vacant. Hundreds of posts remain unfilled. Why are we being subjected to such stepmotherly treatment?
What do you feel about the 'sadbhavana' movement started by the army?
It's being done on a very selective basis to appease the Muslim community: No attempt has been made to reassure the Buddhists living here, who are feeling very insecure following the influx of Afghani jehadis into J&K. We cannot forget that they destroyed the Bamiyan statues. These jehadis may start attacking our monasteries as well. Since 1999, Ladakhi Buddhists have launched an agitation asking for Union territory status. It is time the government acceded to this demand.
In 1998, the Pakistanis, assisted
by these jehadis, were determined to capture the national highway resulting
in the Kargil war. If the borders in this region are secure, credit must
be given to the Ladakhi scouts and guides who helped the army If we are
making sacrifices for the country, then it the government's job to protect
our interests.