Ignored, Zanskaris begin protest

The elected members of the village bodies — panchs and sarpanchs — have submitted their resignations en masse. The lambardars would follow suit. The villagers are threatening to withdraw their children from schools and boycott all government facilities.

Earlier, Zotpa had led the Zanskaris to the Chief Election Commissioner and Central ministers with their petition. Zanskar, which remains cut off from the rest of the world for nearly eight months, witnessed a phenomenal people’s movement for their share in political power when the first-ever elections were announced to the Ladakh Hill Autonomous Council of Kargil some two months ago, Zotpa says.

Zanskar, which has predominantly Buddhist population, falls in the Muslim majority Kargil district of Ladakh. The major grievance of the Buddhists there is that the valley has not been given adequate seats in the council which eventually would hamper its development and flow of funds.

‘‘People of Zanskar have always been denied their due share in political power,’’ says Lama Zopta. He said although the petition had been submitted to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes too, ‘‘it remains to be seen whether the commission is empowered to take cognisance of it.’’ However, sources said the Commission could discuss the petition sometime next week.

Sonam Namgyal, one of the petitioners and president of the Zanskar Buddhist Association, says the government had given only three seats to the area while they claim the minimum should be ten seats.

‘‘We will sever all links with the government and sustain ourselves with whatever little private resources we have,’’ said Wangchuk. ‘‘This is the only way to express our sorrow and anger at the injustice perpetuated on us for years.’’