Says Home Minister Amit Shah has committed to special provisions for the UT; PM Modi likely to visit Ladakh soon; seven new districts to strengthen grassroots democracy
Peerzada Masarat Shah
Leh, Aug 28 (BuzzBytes): The Union Territory of Ladakh is very close to the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will soon get special provisions under Article 371 as an exceptional case, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju said in Leh on Friday.
The Minister was speaking at the Silver Jubilee Founder’s Day function of the Druk Padma Karpo School at Shey in Leh district, where he was the chief guest. Rijiju said Prime Minister Modi always believed regions like Ladakh needed special attention and had been working towards this since he first assumed office, and that it was because of his vision that Ladakh’s development landscape was witnessing changes like never before, both on the economic and social fronts.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given a commitment to the people of Ladakh regarding special provisions under Article 371. This is a very big commitment. The process of providing special provisions for Ladakh, following the announcement by Home Minister Amit Shah and with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is now taking shape,” he said, adding that the earlier autonomous-council provisions did not offer the same level of empowerment and that preparations were under way for creation of seven new districts in Ladakh, up from the existing two of Leh and Kargil. “This is aimed at empowering people at the grassroots level and strengthening democracy,” he said.
Rijiju said Prime Minister Modi’s government was committed to Ladakh’s development and had assured all necessary facilities, including road connectivity and telecommunications in border areas, would be provided in a time-bound manner, and reiterated that the Prime Minister is expected to visit Ladakh again to share his thoughts and plans with the people. He said the Himalayan regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast required special focus from the government given their distinct geographical and climatic conditions.
Rijiju, who described himself as the first Buddhist to hold a position in the Union Cabinet, said this was possible only because of PM Modi’s care for minorities, and noted that a bench of the High Court would also be established in Ladakh in the near future. He urged the youth of Ladakh to remain connected with their traditional values, culture and language, cautioning against blindly following online trends. “I am a Buddhist and we live according to our traditions. Our Rinpoches, Lamas, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lord Buddha guide us from time to time. If I am from Ladakh, I must live according to the traditions and way of life of Ladakh. The Ladakhi language should always remain my mother tongue,” he said, appealing to youth to exercise restraint and not be provoked by online content. “Peace and non-violence are the teachings of Lord Buddha,” he said. Senior dignitaries from the UT administration and members of religious and civil society forums were present on the occasion—(BuzzBytes)
