Modi govt to extend Article 371 provisions to Ladakh, claims BJP minister Rijiju
Leh,: Indian Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has claimed that the BJP-led Indian government will extend special provisions under Article 371 to the Ladakh region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, the BJP government illegally and unconstitutionally revoked IIOJK’s constitutional provisions, including Articles 370 and 35A, and stripped the region of its constitutional rights and identity by dividing it into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh—on August 5, 2019.
Speaking at an event in Leh, Rijiju, who also holds the Minority Affairs portfolio, claimed that New Delhi had already taken several steps to accelerate administrative development in Ladakh, including the creation of five new districts and plans for new Hill Development Councils for these districts.
“People from Ladakh have demanded constitutional safeguards from the government. This demand is respected by the government. Under Article 371, the UT will get special provisions that will protect the culture and traditions of the region,” Rijiju said.
Leaders from the Ladakh have been in talks with the Indian government for a long time, seeking constitutional safeguards for the region’s land, culture and traditions. They have been demanding full statehood and constitutional protection under the Sixth Schedule, among other measures.
