No invitation for next round of dialogue yet; Buddhists call for deferment of all forms of protests
Arteev Sharma
Jammu: Amid continued uncertainty over the next round of talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on two core demands, including grant of statehood to the region and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) is unlikely to seek the resumption of dialogue until the Dalai Lama concludes his visit to Leh town in mid-August.
“So far, we have not received any invitation from the MHA for the next round of talks, and there is still no clarity on when the meeting will be held,” veteran LAB leader Chering Dorjay told The News Now.
The Buddhist leader further said, “Several organisations have also requested us to defer all forms of protest until the spiritual visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Leh concludes, which is likely around August 15 or 16”.
The LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), jointly spearheading ongoing agitation over their four-point agenda, had been advocating for talks with the MHA around July 15, opposing the MHA’s initially proposed date of July 28. Subsequently, the MHA suggested rescheduling the talks for July 20, but that meeting too failed to materialize.
The impasse persists despite assurances made to prominent climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, who had announced a 35-day hunger strike starting July 15. He deferred the protest after being assured by the Centre that talks would be held on July 20. No formal invitation, however, has been extended to Ladakhi leaders by the MHA as yet.
On July 15, the Head Lama of Thiksay and Diskit Monasteries and former Rajya Sabha MP, Rev. Kushok Thiksey Rinpoche (Nawang Chamba Stanzin), appealed for the postponement of all forms of protest—including Wangchuk’s fast—in view of the Dalai Lama’s spiritual visit.
In a formal letter to the Apex Body, co-chaired by Chering Dorjay Lakrook, Thiksey Rinpoche emphasized the need to preserve peace and unity during the revered leader’s presence in the region.
“His presence brings immense spiritual grace and is a moment for peace, reflection, and unity for all of us,” Rinpoche wrote. He also cautioned that any agitation during this sacred time could distract from the Dalai Lama’s message of compassion and non-violence. “Let us preserve the sanctity of this time and reflect the values His Holiness stands for — peace, non-violence, and togetherness,” the letter read.
On July 12, Chering Dorje Lakrook had announced that Sonam Wangchuk deferred his fast following a proposal from the Centre to advance the next round of talks on the core demands of statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Cons
Wangchuk, who recently became a member of the Leh Apex Body, had earlier declared that he would begin his hunger strike on July 15 if the Centre failed to initiate fresh dialogue with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) before that date.
