: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has accused the Centre of moving away from commitments made to the people of Ladakh, expressing disappointment over the uncertainty surrounding the next round of talks between Ladakh representatives and the Union Government.
 

In a video message released on Thursday, Wangchuk said that officials from the Union Home Ministry had indicated during discussions held last week that another round of talks would take place on October 22. However, according to him, leaders from Ladakh were later informed that the meeting would not be held as expected.
 

Wangchuk said he had already booked his travel based on the understanding that discussions would continue on the scheduled date. He added that the latest development had reinforced concerns that commitments made to Ladakh were not being honored.
 

The activist also alleged that the Centre was retreating from earlier assurances, including the promise to extend Sixth Schedule safeguards to Ladakh. He said the people of the region were disappointed and felt their concerns were not being adequately addressed.
 

Referring to Ladakh’s strategic location, Wangchuk said residents of the border region already faced challenges arising from pressure from China. He stated that while the people of Ladakh have strong ties with India, they felt let down by what he described as repeated departures from earlier commitments.
 

He further argued that people in Ladakh were not being given opportunities equivalent to those available elsewhere in the country to express their aspirations through voting, adding that residents were being deprived of democratic rights.
 

The remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing discussions between the Centre and Ladakh’s political and civil society groups regarding constitutional safeguards and governance-related issues.
 

Last week, Ladakh leaders met officials of the Union Home Ministry in Leh. However, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) rejected a draft proposal presented by the Centre, alleging that it did not reflect assurances given during discussions held in May.
 

Following that meeting, leaders from Ladakh had indicated that a fresh round of talks would be held in New Delhi on October 22 to continue the dialogue. As of Thursday, however, they had not received an invitation for the proposed meeting.
 

After the draft proposal was rejected, the Union Territory administration reiterated on Saturday that the Centre remained fully committed to finding a political solution for Ladakh at the earliest opportunity. The administration also expressed disappointment over the response of Ladakh’s leadership, stating that the proposal had been rejected within hours of being received.
 

The latest developments follow an earlier round of discussions held in New Delhi on September 9, which the LAB and KDA described as a “non-starter,” citing a lack of meaningful progress on key demands.
 

During talks held in May, representatives of the Centre and Ladakh had reached an in-principle understanding on extending constitutional safeguards to the Union Territory, drawing from provisions similar to Articles 371A, 371F, and 371G, which provide special protections to Nagaland, Sikkim, and Mizoram, respectively.
 

The issue remains a key point of discussion between Ladakh leaders and the Union Government as both sides continue efforts to reach a mutually acceptable solution.