6th-schedule-rollout-key-point-in-cong-ladakh-candidate-s-agenda

Tsering Namgyal, the Congress candidate for the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat, has a  four-point agenda for the Union territory, the most important one being implementation of  the Constitution's Sixth Schedule, which provides land and jobs to residents.

The main points in Namgyal’s agenda include statehood for Ladakh , establishment of a public service commission there and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts as well as exclusive rights over resources in Ladakh for the indigenous people, land rights, and job reservations.

Sixth Schedule Implementation is being demanded by Ladakhis since the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two centrally administered regions in 2019.

 Namgyal has said in various media interviews that the INDIA bloc is committed to protecting the rights of the people of Ladakh. He has also expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of talks involving Home Minister Amit Shah and representatives of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance over the demand for the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

"The dialogue stopped there, and so did our hope. People are now worried and angry," Namgyal has said.

When Ladakh was given Union Territory status on August 5, 2019, "People danced, cheered, and sang in joy, hoping that Ladakhis will witness a bright future, youth will get jobs, and the identity of Ladakh will also be protected," Namgyal has said.

As the Sixth Schedule was not implemented after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls or the Hill Development Council elections,  a wave of protests swept across the area. "People hoped for a new beginning, but the conversation did not proceed as expected. The government initially delayed it, placed it on hold until the Model Code of Conduct was implemented, and then summoned our leaders for discussions at the last minute," Namgyal said.

The Congress candidate also accused the BJP of misleading the people of Ladakh. "The people of Ladakh are savvy...  and will not trust bogus promises. People will vote in support of the four-point plan," he added.