Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has urged the government to resolve the Ladakh issue promptly, emphasizing that Ladakh is a border state with China occupying parts of its land. Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said, “China is lurking, they have occupied land. It is time to resolve it quickly. The government should hold talks and resolve it.”

Responding to questions about the government blaming climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for recent violence in the region, Abdullah defended the peace activist, stating, “He (Wangchuk) has never left the Gandhian way. The youth have sidelined him today. He is not responsible for it.”

He further criticized the government’s approach, saying, “When they (BJP) lost elections, they imposed safety law and put people in jails. Now they are using CBI. The more they use force to suppress, the bigger the danger. I want to tell the government of India not to use force and instead hold dialogue.”

The former chief minister’s remarks came amid escalating tensions in Ladakh, where four people were killed and at least 80 injured in day-long clashes on Wednesday. The violence erupted during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which supports an agitation demanding statehood for Ladakh.

Asked about potential external influence in the unrest, Abdullah dismissed such suggestions, saying, “There is no external hand. It is the voice of the people.”

Abdullah highlighted that for the past five years, the people of Ladakh have been silently protesting for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule and statehood. “Their leader walked from Leh to Delhi to press for the demands. He adopted the Gandhian way, not agitation. But the youth felt that the promises were hollow. The result was that they could not bear it any more,” he explained.

He urged the Centre to take lessons from Ladakh’s situation, particularly regarding promises made to Jammu and Kashmir. “Statehood was promised to Jammu and Kashmir but where is it? They should learn a lesson. Where are the promises you made with us? Where are the jobs? People from outside are being imposed,” Abdullah said.

When asked whether his party supported the violent agitation in Ladakh, Abdullah responded, “National Conference has never left the Gandhian way. We gave sacrifices but never took to violence. However, what the youth do in future, I cannot say that for sure.”

Addressing BJP’s accusations against the Congress party for the violence in Ladakh, Abdullah dismissed the claims as an attempt to deflect responsibility. “BJP has been ruling since 2019. Where did the Congress come from? They (BJP) always try to deflect. Congress cannot gather 10 persons,” he remarked.

Taking the Central government to task for the current situation in Ladakh, he said, “Hold talks, don’t talk about holding talks. The leaders in Delhi are responsible for what is happening. They kept them busy with talks without anything substantial. They (youth) are feeling let down. The government should move now faster and resolve the issue.”

Abdullah warned that if a void is left in Ladakh, it could be filled by others, highlighting the sensitive geopolitical context. “Somebody will fill the gap. It is a very sensitive area. They (China) are craving for Ladakh. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had gone to China. Why did he go there? To improve relations,” he said.

He also touched on international dynamics, mentioning that the United States has blamed India for the Russia-Ukraine war. “America is coming after us for buying Russian oil. President Trump accused us of supporting war on Ukraine but the truth is we have not supported it,” Abdullah stated.

Reacting to the government’s assertion that no land has been occupied by China in Ladakh, Abdullah challenged the narrative, saying, “The whole world knows how much land they have taken. We cannot even patrol our land. How long will we live in a world of lies?”

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