Ladakh Shutdown Leh Kargil Protest Mha Meeting Liquor Policy

Ladakh observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday in response to a call by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance — powerful socio-political bodies representing the two regions that make up the Union Territory.

On Tuesday, both Leh and Kargil towns, along with other areas of the Union Territory, shut down businesses to mark the protest. While the Leh administration had denied permission to the Ladakh Buddhist Association to host a “peaceful demonstration” in Leh, the Apex Body co-chairman Cherring Dorjay Lakrook had told The Indian Express that the protest would go ahead.

Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) co-chairman Sajjad Kargili highlighted that the protest also marks Ladakh’s resentment against policies being announced by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, such as the recently announced liquor policy that allows for the retail sale of hard liquor and expanding liquor outlets in the region.

“Through this protest, the people of Ladakh have also reinforced the message that we do not endorse the policies being forced upon us,” Kargili said. He also stated that they had presented their case through a draft of demands and now they have received a proposal from the government on which “there is understanding that we will discuss this further”, he said.

The proposal includes protections under Article 371 of the Constitution and expanding Ladakh’s democratic setup to include a legislature.

Post the meeting held at New Delhi, a document with the minutes of the meeting was circulated for signatures, and as per Lakrook, “it did not reflect the discussion between members of the subcommittee and the MHA.” Members of both bodies had refused to sign the document.

On June 20, Lakrook had said that these tactics “betray the intention of the (Union) government,” and that this feels like a time-buying exercise on the part of the Centre. Both ABL and KDA have underscored that the MHA should remain consistent on the decisions taken during their meeting.

Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More