Statehood demand: Ladakh protesters threaten march to China border

IANS

Srinagar, March 28

The agitation in Ladakh intensified on Thursday after the Leh Apex Body and climate activist, Sonam Wangchuk announced a march to the border on April 7.

Climate activist Wangchuk has called the decision to march to the border a “Gandhian way of protest” to safeguard the interests of the fragile environment and the people of the region.

The Leh Apex Body is agitating for grant of statehood to Ladakh and inclusion of the region in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. The protesters have decided to continue the ongoing hunger strike which the Leh Apex Body said will be followed by a chain of hunger strikes by women, youth, religious leaders and elders. “This would be like Gandhi ji’s Dandi March”, the leaders said. Climate activist, Sonam Wangchow has alleged that the Changthang grazers, famous for producing Pashmina wool, are being forced to sell their animals because over 20,000 acres of grazing land was taken by industrialists to set up their plants.

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