According to the sources, Rajnath Singh states, “No UT status to Ladakh at this moment and the government has no plan for it,” during an interaction with a section of media in Delhi.

 

During the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2014, BJP senior leader, Nitin Gadkari announced that the UT status to Ladakh is the dream of BJP and will be delivered in 6 months, whereas, it’s been one and a half year after the controversial statement; the Union Home minister rejects the demand straight away. 

 

The statement of a person on such a high authority has created a matter of great concern to the people of Ladakh. BJP formed the 5th council on 3 November after winning 18 seats out of 26.  One of the reasons to lead in the Council election was the positive thought of the people towards the BJP, which is in power in the state and at the centre. 

Looking back to the BJP manifesto, it clearly states that the party will pursue fulfillment of long-standing demands of the people of Ladakh. The demand includes the grant of UT status for Ladakh along with the Kailash Mansarovar route via Demjok and inclusion of Bhoti under 8th schedule of the constitution, Central University / Medical College in Ladakh. 

Prior to the election, during the public meeting on 14th October at Polo ground, MP Thupstan Chhewang said that the BJP is in full support of giving UT to Ladakh since the time of its inception.

In an interview with Reach Ladakh in Vol 2 Issue 13, MP Thupstan Chhewang on UT status said,” We may or may not gain UT status in six months as for that abolishing Article 370 is a prerequisite. I reiterate, it is not an overnight process so instead of targeting Nitin Gadkari for his statement of creating a UT status within six months, people should recognise the positive stand that BJP government has taken on the UT status issue. It remains to be seen whether or not the ‘six-month’ deadline is feasible, but what I’m very sure of is that under the BJP government, Ladakh will eventually gain UT status.” 

Tsering Samphel, President, District Congress Committee, state that, the BJP has cheated the people of Ladakh. He further added, “Vote for BJP and UT for Ladakh” has proved a white lie for which the local BJP leaders and MP should apologise the people of Ladakh for the historical cheat of deceiving the innocent Ladakhis for looting the vote. 

The commitment of BJP stands nowhere when the big leaders of BJP come up with different statements every time.  Seems it has proved that the demand of UT for Ladakh is the biggest agenda to be raised on the election time and to forget about it later.