Two senior Leh leaders express concern over ‘protest marches’; ask Kargil and Leh bodies to follow May 2025 agreement

Two senior regional leaders from Ladakh’s Leh, Tsering Samphel and Rigzin Spalbar, have expressed concern over protest marches proposed to demand Statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. They are instead pushing for elections to local hill councils in newly created districts.

“We are strongly against holding any padyatra (walk) or protest in Leh while formal talks are proceeding as a follow-up to the agreement consensually signed by ourselves. Such actions at this juncture will only weaken our collective negotiating strength. The satisfactory sixth meeting with the MHA (Union Ministry of Home Affairs) at New Delhi must be followed up with sincerity to take it to its logical conclusion,” Mr. Spalbar, former chairperson of the Ladakh Hill Development Council-Leh, and Mr. Samphel, former president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, said.