One Year After Ladakh Violence, Wangchuk Ask, When Will Amit Shah Resign?

Leh- One year after four civilians were killed in police firing during protests in Leh, Ladakh once again witnessed demonstration and a region wide shutdown as people marked the first anniversary of the violence. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk used the occasion to renew his demand for Union Home Minister Amit Shah resignation, accusing him of bearing responsibility for the deaths and describing last year incident as a massacre. Addressing a gathering after a 20 km march held to commemorate the four Ladakhis who died on September 24 last year, Wangchuk said Shah should resign and accept responsibility for what happened. Amit Shah must resign and take responsibility for the massacre in Ladakh. He will have to take responsibility for these deaths, Wangchuk said. Ladakh observes shutdown on first anniversary All of Ladakh remained shut on Thursday as residents observed the anniversary and protested against the police action during last year unrest. Shops and businesses remained closed in several areas, while people participated in marches and commemorative programmes. The shutdown was intended to remember those who died during the protests and to keep attention focused on the demands that had brought people on to the streets. The violence last year marked a major escalation in tensions in the Union Territory, with protesters seeking greater political and constitutional safe guards for Ladakh and raising concerns over issues including representation, employment and protection of the region’s land and environment. Wangchuk praises protesters Speaking to the gathering, Wangchuk praised the people of Ladakh for what he described as their contribution to the country despite not wearing military uniforms. He said the people of the region had continued to demonstrate their commitment to India while simultaneously raising concerns about their own political and constitutional future. Wangchuk also argued that the protesters had been pushed into agitation because their demands had not received an adequate response. These people were forced to agitate for their demands, he said while addressing the crowd. His remarks reflected the continuing frustration among section of Ladakh population over the political status of the Union Territory and the lack of progress on several demands raised by civil society groups. Political dispute remains unresolved The anniversary has once again placed the relationship between Ladakh civil society groups and the Union government under scrutiny. Wangchuk and other activists have repeatedly called for stronger constitutional safe guards for the region, including greater political representation and measures aimed at protecting Ladakh distinctive ecological and cultural character. The Union government, mean while, has maintained its own position on the demands and has engaged with representatives from Ladakh through discussions and institutional mechanism. The circumstances surrounding the police firing and the responsibility for the deaths remain politically contested. For protesters and families remembering those who died, however, September 24 remains a day of mourning as well as political mobilisation. A year later, questions remain The first anniversary of the violence has demonstrated that the events of September 24 last year have not disappeared from Ladakh political landscape. Wangchuk renewed demand for Amit Shah’s resignation has added a fresh political dimension to the commemorations, while the shutdown across the region has underscored the continuing importance of the issue for sections of Ladakh population. As Ladakh remember the four civilians who lost their lives, the larger questions surrounding accountability, political representation and the region future remain part of an on going debate between local groups and the Union government. The anniversary has therefore become more than a remembrance of last year deaths it has also become a renewed platform for Ladakh unresolved political demand.