00:00Why are Ladakhí youth taking to the streets?
00:03In Leh, the capital of Ladakh's Union Territory, young men and women are protesting on the
00:08streets, their frustration spilling into violence.
00:15With their demands for statehood and inclusion of the region in the sixth schedule of Indian
00:20constitution, the protesters clashed with the police on September 24th, 2025.
00:26Police resorted to firing after protesters set fire to the BJP office and several vehicles
00:31including CRPF van.
00:33At least 4 people were killed and over 50 injured in the intense clashes during the Le Apex body-sponsored
00:38shutdown.
00:39Activist Sonam Bangchuk, who is part of the strike, called the violence nonsensical in
00:45a next video, asking the youth not to follow the path of violence.
00:48However, he dubbed it a Gen Z revolution and noted that many were left unemployed without
01:05their democratic rights for years in Ladakh.
01:08Authorities promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 163 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha
01:14Sanghita in Leh district, banning assembly of five or more persons.
01:18The Le Apex body, or LAB, leading the charge has been on a hunger strike since September 10th,
01:26demanding urgent talks with the central government.
01:29But why are they protesting?
01:31The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status, changed
01:38Ladakh forever.
01:39It became a union territory, stripped of land ownership protections that kept non-locals
01:44out.
01:45Now, outsiders can buy land, raising fears of demographic shifts that could dilute the tribal
01:51majority and strain the cold desert's scarce resources.
01:55Unlike JNK, which got an elected assembly, Ladakh is ruled by Delhi, leaving locals' power
02:01less.
02:02LAB and the Cargill Democratic Alliance are pushing for four demands.
02:07Statehood for Self-Governance, the sixth schedule to protect tribal autonomy over land and customs,
02:13a public service commission to tackle 26.5% graduate unemployment, twice India's average,
02:19two parliamentary seats, not one for a louder voice in Delhi.
02:23So what is the sixth schedule?
02:25It grants tribal areas like those in Assam or Meghalaya control over land, customs and
02:31resources through autonomous district councils.
02:34Ladakh's councils currently handle only district-level planning.
02:38The Ministry of Home Affairs has offered talks on jobs and seats but not statehood or sixth
02:44schedule, fueling the anger.
02:47Protests have simmered since 2019 but intensified in 2024.
02:51On Monday, September 22, LAB demanded immediate talks.
02:55However, the Ministry of Home Affairs set the date for October 6, too late for LAB, who called
03:01it a dictation.
03:02The youth-led shutdown on Wednesday spiralled into violence.
03:04Ladakh's youth, hit hard by unemployment, feel ignored.
03:08A government survey shows 26.5% of graduates are jobless, only second to Andaman and Nicobar.
03:15KDA leader Sajad Kargilii, reacting to the violence on X, called it unfortunate and urged the government
03:21to resume dialogue and grant statehood and sixth-scheduled status.
03:26The unrest reflects a broader demand to protect Ladakh's culture and economy.
03:31Wangchuk had also warned that unfulfilled promises like including Ladakh in the sixth schedule
03:37before local elections could cost the government support.
03:40Ladakh's youth are currently fighting for their land, jobs and voice.
03:45But the question remains, will the government act before tensions boil over again?
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