Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal expressed grave concerns over the ongoing situation in Ladakh, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of eroding democratic rights and transforming states into Union Territories to consolidate power on Thursday.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Kejriwal questioned whether India’s independence from British rule was achieved only to subject its citizens to what he described as the BJP’s authoritarian control.
In his post, Kejriwal stated, “What is happening in Ladakh today is extremely alarming. Every true patriot should stand with the people of Ladakh. Did we take freedom from the British just so that the public would become slaves to the BJP instead of the British? Revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad sacrificed their lives for democracy so that every Indian would have the right to choose their own government. But today, the BJP, intoxicated by the addiction of power, is turning one state after another into a Union Territory, snatching away the rights granted by the Constitution.”
Kejriwal further alleged that the BJP was suppressing the democratic aspirations of Ladakh’s people, particularly their demand for the right to vote and choose their own government. He claimed that despite repeated promises, the BJP had failed to grant these rights, effectively stifling the region’s voice.
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“What are the people of Ladakh demanding? They are simply asking for their right to vote, the right to choose their government. But the BJP is suppressing their voice. Despite repeatedly promising, it is not giving them the right to vote. Democracy is the voice of the people... and when the government starts suppressing that very voice, it becomes the duty of the people to speak even louder. If we want to save the democracy of the country, we cannot remain silent against this dictatorship anymore. Today’s fight in Ladakh could become the fight of the entire country tomorrow,” his post continued.
The AAP leader’s remarks come amid escalating tensions in Ladakh, where protests demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution have turned violent, leading to clashes with the police. The Sixth Schedule provides for autonomous governance in certain tribal areas, a demand that has gained traction among Ladakh’s residents seeking greater local control and representation.
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On the same day, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, chaired a high-level security review meeting to address the unrest. The meeting focused on assessing the situation following the violent protests and emphasised the need for heightened vigilance, stronger inter-agency coordination, and proactive measures to maintain peace, security, and public order across the Union Territory.
Kejriwal’s statements highlight a broader critique of the BJP’s governance, framing the Ladakh situation as a potential precursor to a nationwide struggle for democratic rights. His call for public action underscores the AAP’s stance against what he perceives as the central government’s authoritarian policies, urging citizens to resist and protect India’s democratic framework.
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