. SRINAGAR: Climate activist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) member Sonam Wangchuk will take part Friday in talks with the Centre on Ladakh, doing so as part of a delegation for the first time since such parleys began in 2023 on the political future of the Union territory (UT).LAB, an umbrella group of the region’s political and religious organisations, will be represented by Wangchuk, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, and Dorjay Stanzin. Lakrook is co-chairman of LAB and president of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), while Stanzin is president of Ladakh Gonpa Association.Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), another regional group, will also join the meeting, represented by Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Kargili, both co-chairman, and member Ghulam Rasool. All delegation members reached New Delhi on Thursday. The Centre had on April 26 announced the talks with a Union home ministry (MHA) sub-committee.Asked about the meeting, Lakrook merely said “he is hoping “for the best”. Kargili expected “some results now”. “We have been holding talks for the past few years. We don’t want talks for the sake of talks,” Kargili said.Since the abrogation of Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019, and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into the UTs of J&K and Ladakh, Ladakh has seen agitations seeking Sixth Schedule status and statehood. These were led by LAB and KDA, formed in Leh and Kargil a year after 370’s abrogation.Wangchuk initially supported these demands independently through Gandhian-style hunger strikes and long marches until last year when he joined LAB.MHA had established a high-powered committee on Jan 2, 2023, led by junior minister Nityanand Rai, to address key issues of Ladakh. Since then, many rounds of talks have been held under a high-powered committee, and occasionally at a sub-committee level.The dialogue process stopped after four people were killed and over 80 injured in alleged police firing on protesters in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards on Sept 24, 2025. Wangchuk was accused of inciting the protesters through speeches. He was arrested, charged under National Security Act (NSA) and kept in Jodhpur jail.The Centre revoked Wangchuk’s NSA detention in March this year and affirmed its commitment to “constructive engagement and dialogue” to resolve the region’s issues. After his release, Wangchuk has pressed for such talks, saying Ladakh “hangs between trust and mistrust”.The talks resumed in Delhi on Oct 22 last year after the Centre ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged firing. Another round of talks took place on Feb 4 but remained “inconclusive.”End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCalcutta High Court Junks Pleas On West Bengal Cattle Slaughter Rules Ahead Of Bakr Eid‘Menon’ Surname Row: VD Satheesan Faces Heat From Kerala Congress Leaders Over Oath Name ChoiceIUML And VCK To Also Join Vijay Cabinet In Tamil Nadu, Expansion Tomorrow: ReportTMC Protests Against BJP Government Over Alleged Forced Eviction Of Hawkers In BengalTamil Nadu Cabinet Expansion: Congress MLAs Get Portfolios, Governor Stops Oath Praise Of LeadersNibe Successfully Tests Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition In Maiden TrialsCJP X Account Withheld In India After Crossing 200K Followers In Just Four Days | WatchFIR Sought Against Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Traitors’ Remark On PM Modi, Amit ShahAir India Flight AI2651 Hits Tail During Landing, Aircraft Grounded For Inspection At BengaluruViral Cockroach Janta Party Overtakes Congress And BJP In Instagram Followers Race | Watch123PhotostoriesDeepika Padukone’s Cannes looks through the yearsPlants that thrive during Indian monsoon without rotting5 desi Indian teas among the Top 50 Teas in the WorldVanessa Trump diagnosed with breast cancer: Inside her life after divorce with Donald Trump Jr.5 White foods you must avoid for good health5 real estate hotspots near newly-opened Navi Mumbai Airport seeing massive growthOptical illusion personality test: Fish, face or stars? What you see first reveals if you are easy-going, deep connector or big-picture visionaryCoconut water vs coconut milk: Which works better for summer hair growth?5 enchanting villages in England that are straight out of a fantasy landTamannaah Bhatia’s red silk midi dress and emerald choker are a total fashion win123Hot PicksBandra demolition driveIPL Schedule 2026Indian rupeeFalta VotingUK NET MigrationElon MuskTN Ministers ListTop TrendingTN Finance Minister Marie WilsonIPL Match TodayPappu SanaPM ModiHardik PandyaJEE Advanced Response SheetIPL Orange Cap 2026Conor McGregor Net WorthNEET UG Paper LeakWest Bengal Annapurna Yojana
SRINAGAR: Climate activist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) member Sonam Wangchuk will take part Friday in talks with the Centre on Ladakh, doing so as part of a delegation for the first time since such parleys began in 2023 on the political future of the Union territory (UT).LAB, an umbrella group of the region’s political and religious organisations, will be represented by Wangchuk, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, and Dorjay Stanzin. Lakrook is co-chairman of LAB and president of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), while Stanzin is president of Ladakh Gonpa Association.Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), another regional group, will also join the meeting, represented by Asgar Ali Karbalai and Sajjad Kargili, both co-chairman, and member Ghulam Rasool. All delegation members reached New Delhi on Thursday. The Centre had on April 26 announced the talks with a Union home ministry (MHA) sub-committee.Asked about the meeting, Lakrook merely said “he is hoping “for the best”. Kargili expected “some results now”. “We have been holding talks for the past few years. We don’t want talks for the sake of talks,” Kargili said.Since the abrogation of Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019, and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into the UTs of J&K and Ladakh, Ladakh has seen agitations seeking Sixth Schedule status and statehood. These were led by LAB and KDA, formed in Leh and Kargil a year after 370’s abrogation.Wangchuk initially supported these demands independently through Gandhian-style hunger strikes and long marches until last year when he joined LAB.MHA had established a high-powered committee on Jan 2, 2023, led by junior minister Nityanand Rai, to address key issues of Ladakh. Since then, many rounds of talks have been held under a high-powered committee, and occasionally at a sub-committee level.The dialogue process stopped after four people were killed and over 80 injured in alleged police firing on protesters in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards on Sept 24, 2025. Wangchuk was accused of inciting the protesters through speeches. He was arrested, charged under National Security Act (NSA) and kept in Jodhpur jail.The Centre revoked Wangchuk’s NSA detention in March this year and affirmed its commitment to “constructive engagement and dialogue” to resolve the region’s issues. After his release, Wangchuk has pressed for such talks, saying Ladakh “hangs between trust and mistrust”.The talks resumed in Delhi on Oct 22 last year after the Centre ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged firing. Another round of talks took place on Feb 4 but remained “inconclusive.”
