NEW DELHI, Sep 23: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday reaffirmed the party's support for the people's demand in Ladakh for meaningful constitutional safeguards, including inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, to protect the region's land, employment, environment, culture and identity.
Kharge also called for the judicial inquiry into the deaths of four people during protests in Leh last year to establish the facts and fix accountability.
In a post on X, Kharge recalled the September 24, 2025 incident, when four people were killed in police firing after protests demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh turned violent.
"On Martyrs' Day, we pay our solemn homage to them and stand in complete solidarity with their families," he said.
Kharge said the judicial inquiry into the incident should establish the full truth, ensure accountability and deliver justice "without fear or favour".
"The people of Ladakh have waited long enough for their legitimate aspirations to be addressed," he said.
The Congress president said the party stood firmly with the demand for constitutional safeguards, including the Sixth Schedule, to protect Ladakh's land, employment, fragile environment, culture and identity.
He also called for the restoration of democracy and representative institutions in the Union Territory, saying people should have an effective voice in determining their future.
Four people were killed and several others injured during the September 24, 2025 protests in Leh, which were centred on demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh. A judicial inquiry was subsequently ordered into the incident, but its findings have not yet been made public, according to recent reports.
The demands for greater constitutional safeguards and statehood remain part of ongoing discussions between Ladakh's representative
