NEW DELHI: Congress leader Udit Raj launched a strong attack on the NDA government following the recent violence in Ladakh, stating that the demand for full statehood, raised by Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is both timely and necessary, criticising the Centre's handling of the situation and the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.
In a sharply-worded statement, Udit Raj said, “This is absolutely the need of the hour. When Ladakh was not a Union Territory, unemployment was not this severe. But after it was converted, joblessness has worsened drastically. This is one of the reasons for the unrest. The arrest of Sonam Wangchuk is not good for the country. The Central government is failing to understand how sensitive the region is.”
He added, “Sonam Wangchuk has no role in the violence. He has contributed significantly to the development of the region. Due to the mistakes of the Central government, we may even lose this part of India. We’ve already given away nearly 4, 000 square kilometres to China… These people cannot run the country. They can only deliver speeches. If this continues for long, the country could break apart.”
The remarks came in the wake of a violent protest in Leh on September 24, during which four people were killed and over 90 were injured. The protest was part of a long-standing agitation demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.
Following the incident, Sonam Wangchuk was arrested under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on Friday.
Meanwhile, CM Omar Abdullah, during his visit to Ganderbal on Monday, urged the Centre not to test the patience of the people of J&K. He said, “Granting statehood is a basic constitutional right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Let this place not descend into the kind of unrest that is unfolding in Ladakh.”