Srinagar, Sept 25 (KNS): Awami National Conference (ANC) Senior Vice President Muzzafar Shah today voiced deep concern over the prevailing unrest in Ladakh, linking it directly to the unilateral decisions of August 5, 2019.

“Ladakh is burning today because of that move,” Shah said, lamenting the loss of four lives and injuries to over a hundred people in recent days. He described the situation as a tragic manifestation of the fallout from the abrogation of Article 370, which, he asserted, continues to embody the socio-political aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Shah said the people of Ladakh were “led up the garden path and betrayed,” recalling that the region once enjoyed all powers within the broader framework of the J&K State.

He emphasized that the historical relationship between Ladakh and Kashmir spans nearly 1,500 years, and that protection of land, ecology, environment, and jobs formed an inseparable part of the constitutional guarantees to Jammu & Kashmir.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

He further castigated the Modi government’s decision to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories, calling it “a continuing disaster.” According to him, this step has robbed the people of Jammu, Kashmir, Leh, and Kargil of peace of mind, leaving all regions equally disillusioned and aggrieved.

Calling the current arrangement “chaotic” and “cosmetic,” Shah stressed that the only viable solution lies in the immediate restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 constitutional status. He urged New Delhi to recognize the gravity of the crisis and act before further damage is inflicted on the region’s fragile peace and stability.