New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday threw his weight behind demands to extend Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh, accusing the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, of suppressing the voice and identity of Ladakhis and attributing recent unrest in the region to their actions. The unrest in Leh began as largely peaceful protests calling for statehood for Ladakh and the extension of Sixth Schedule safeguards, which currently apply to certain tribal areas of northeastern India. On September 24, clashes between protesters and security forces escalated, resulting in the deaths of four young people, while around 50 protesters, including prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, were detained. Wangchuk has been transferred to a jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
A curfew in Leh remained in force for the fifth consecutive day, though authorities indicated a possible security review by Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta. Rahul Gandhi, taking to social media platform X, condemned the killings and arrests, writing, “Ladakhis asked for a voice. The BJP responded by killing 4 young men and jailing Sonam Wangchuk. Stop the killing. Stop the violence. Stop the intimidation.” He added, “Give Ladakh a voice. Give them the 6th Schedule.”
The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution grants special rights and powers to tribal regions, including protections over land, governance, and administration. Rahul Gandhi argued that the reorganization of Jammu & Kashmir in 2019, when Ladakh became a Union Territory, left the region without sufficient legal safeguards, fueling the demand for constitutional protection. The Union government, however, has accused Wangchuk of instigating unrest, suggesting that the protests were not entirely peaceful, while Wangchuk’s wife countered that the violence resulted from paramilitary forces using tear gas on a peaceful crowd.
The demand to extend Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh has been longstanding among regional groups, who argue that constitutional safeguards are necessary to preserve local culture, protect land rights, and empower indigenous communities. The recent events have put the spotlight on Ladakh’s governance model and central-local relations, raising critical questions about political voice, autonomy, and the state’s role in managing dissent.
