Kejriwal accuses BJP of denying right to vote to people of Ladakh

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday (September 25) expressed concern of the unrest in Ladakh, asking whether the country gained freedom from the British to become slaves of the BJP. He accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of denying the people of Ladakh their right to vote.

‘BJP turning states into UTs’

Kejriwal, in a lengthy social media post, accused the BJP of being “intoxicated” with power, adding that the ruling party at the Centre was turning one state after another into Union Territories and snatching the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people.

“Did we take freedom from the British just so that the public would become slaves to the BJP instead of the British... 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,” stated Kejriwal in a post on X.

Also Read: Leh violence: Strict curfew clamped after clashes, 50 people detained

‘BJP suppressing people's voice'

He further alleged that the BJP was throttling the voice of the people in Ladakh and, despite repeated promises, denied them the right to vote, urging the people to raise their voice against such actions.

“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,” he added.

Also Read: Four years of protests and Centre’s apathy: Why Ladakh exploded

Ladakh LG holds security meet

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta to convene an urgent security review meeting on Thursday. The unrest erupted during a statewide shutdown called by a component of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which is advocating for an immediate negotiation with the central government regarding the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and statehood for Ladakh.

The Lieutenant Governor’s office stated that Gupta chaired a security review meeting and called for heightened vigilance to safeguard peace. He emphasised the necessity for heightened vigilance and effective inter-agency coordination to maintain peace and security across the Union Territory.

The high-level security meeting included senior officials from the police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and civil administration, discussing the current law and order situation in detail.

Also Read: What led to Leh protests and subsequent violence? |Capital Beat

The backdrop

The protests, which supported the demand for Ladakhi statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule, escalated into violence on Wednesday, with demonstrators setting fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Leh and several vehicles. In response, local authorities imposed a curfew in Leh and the surrounding areas. At least four people and 80 were injured in the violence.

In a statement, the central government attributed the disturbances to the "provocative statements" made by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.

(With agency inputs)