The government cites progress through the High Powered Committee, but Ladakh leaders say dialogue is impossible under repression.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, Sept 29, 2025 — The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has withdrawn from its scheduled talks with the Government of India, citing the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), the branding of statehood protests as “anti-national,” and the killing of four young protesters in police firing on September 24.
The Apex Body announced on Monday that it would not travel to Delhi for talks slated for October 6, declaring that dialogue is impossible under current circumstances. It demanded a judicial inquiry into the killings in Leh, withdrawal of cases against more than 50 arrested protesters, and the rescinding of action against Wangchuk and other activists.In a statement issued in the evening, the government reiterated its “open position” for dialogue with the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). It highlighted that the High Powered Committee (HPC) mechanism had already yielded “good results,” including increased reservation for Scheduled Tribes, reservation for women in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs), and preservation of local languages. Recruitment for 1,800 government jobs in the Union Territory has also begun, the statement noted.
“We are confident that continued dialogue will yield the desired results in the near future,” the government said.
Core Demands
The Apex Body’s demands include:
- Full statehood for Ladakh.
- Constitutional protection under the Sixth Schedule.
- Separate Lok Sabha representation for Leh and Kargil.
- Employment opportunities for educated but unemployed youth.
- Climate safeguards for the ecologically fragile Himalayan region.
Tensions spiraled on September 24 during a hunger strike led by Wangchuk over statehood demands. Protests turned violent, with demonstrators vandalizing offices and setting fire to the BJP office in Leh. Security forces opened fire, killing four and injuring several others.
Wangchuk was arrested on Friday under the NSA, accused of inciting the unrest, and later transferred to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. His arrest has galvanized supporters and intensified calls for justice in Ladakh.
READ: Border Fencing Row Deepens: Tribal Leaders Demand Halt, Cite Threat to Identity
Leh Apex Body Boycotts Delhi Talks Over CRPF Firing Probe Demands.
In a bold escalation of Ladakh’s autonomy struggle, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) announced on September 29, 2025, that it will boycott scheduled talks with the Union Home Ministry’s High Powered Committee on October… pic.twitter.com/guIpkyqcGw
— Trending Eyes🇮🇳 (@thetrendingeyes) September 29, 2025
Pakistan Angle Alleged
Union Territory police have linked Wangchuk to a wider investigation, alleging his past visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh raise questions about foreign connections.
“We also arrested a Pakistan PIO recently who was in touch with him and reporting back across the border. We have records of this. He (Wangchuk) attended a Dawn event in Pakistan and also visited Bangladesh. There is a big question mark on him,” Ladakh police chief S.D. Singh Jamwal said.
The standoff between the Centre and the Leh Apex Body now threatens to derail the dialogue process at a critical moment, with Ladakh’s demand for statehood and autonomy intensifying amid accusations of heavy-handed government response.
