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EYE ON INDIA OCTOBER 03, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

UNREST IN LADAKH:

Violence, Demands for Statehood, and

Questions Over External Influence

The violence in Leh has exposed deeper tensions in Ladakh’s statehood movement, with
authorities now probing the role of foreign-funded NGOs in shaping the agitation.

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
or years, Ladakh was seen as an island of calm
in the troubled Himalayan belt. A region
Fknown for its Buddhist monasteries, cultural
harmony, and strategic location, it was expected to
flourish after its separation from Jammu and Kash-
mir and elevation to Union Territory status in 2019.
But recent events in Leh tell a different story.
On September 24, protests demanding state-
hood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth
Schedule spiraled into violence. Demonstrators
clashed with police, the BJP office was attacked, and
public property was damaged. By the end of the day,
four lives were lost, dozens were injured, and the
administration was left scrambling to restore order.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta con-
vened a high-level security review with senior of-
ficials of the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police
(ITBP), and civil administration. Stressing vigilance
and inter-agency coordination, he appealed for
calm. “Ladakh has always been known for its peace,
harmony, and brotherhood. Certain anti-social el- Security personnel patrol as the curfew imposed after the protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under
ements are trying to disturb this atmosphere. We the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Thursday (ANI Video Grab)
must maintain peace at all costs,” he said.
Yet the scale and intensity of the violence raised
troubling questions: Who is driving the unrest, and influence operations. Over the years, intelligence who fear that their legitimate aspirations are being
why now? agencies have flagged instances where international hijacked by forces with agendas far beyond Ladakh.
The demand for Sixth Schedule safeguards is NGOs have funded local activism under the banner Restoring peace in Ladakh will require more
not new. For five years, organisations like the Leh of climate change, tribal rights, or cultural pres- than appeals for calm. The government must open
Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance ervation. While much of this activity is legitimate, meaningful dialogue with protest leaders on the
(KDA) have pressed for constitutional protections officials fear that some groups may be providing re- question of statehood and Sixth Schedule protec-
to safeguard Ladakh’s land, jobs, and identity. Un- sources and networks that allow protests to spiral tions while simultaneously investigating the role of
til recently, these mobilisations had been largely beyond the control of local leaders. NGOs and external players. A delicate balance is
peaceful, often couched in Gandhian terms. In fact, some within the administration suggest needed: ignoring local demands risks further alien-
Haji Ghulam Mustafa, legal adviser of the that the sudden shift from peaceful sit-ins to violent ation, but failing to curb foreign influence risks na-
Apex Body, emphasised this record: “For the last attacks on government property has the hallmarks tional security.
five years we have been demanding and protesting of coordinated agitation, possibly amplified by ex- For now, the administration is trying to project
in a very peaceful manner. What happened yester- ternal funding. stability. Medical care has been extended to the in-
day is quite complicated. We condemn the violence For New Delhi, the unrest in Ladakh is more than jured, compensation to the families of the deceased,
that took place.” a law-and-order problem—it is a national security and assurances given that “no disruptive force will
This sudden descent into violence has therefore concern. With Chinese troops stationed just across be allowed to derail progress.” But beneath these
sparked speculation that outside forces may be ex- the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Pakistan official statements, the unrest has revealed a fragile
ploiting genuine local grievances for political ends. maintaining pressure in Kargil, instability in Leh un- reality: Ladakh’s integration into India remains in-
Security officials, according to sources in Leh, dermines India’s strategic posture in the Himalayas. complete, and its people are growing restless.
are now examining whether certain NGOs with for- Foreign involvement, if proven, would add an- The sudden eruption of violence, coupled with
eign funding links played a role in mobilising or es- other layer of vulnerability. “Ladakh is a border suspicions of foreign-funded interference, under-
calating the protests. region. For the last 70 years we have fought with scores the urgency of addressing Ladakh’s griev-
This suspicion is not without precedent. La- enemies Pakistan and China,” Mustafa reminded. ances with clarity, sensitivity, and vigilance. The
dakh’s strategic geography—bordering both China “We do not want to be known for violence and pro- region’s peace, and India’s strategic security, may
and Pakistan—makes it a fertile ground for external test.” His words reflect the anxiety of many locals depend on it.

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