Authorities in Leh announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of prohibitory orders that had previously banned rallies, in what appears to be a response to the Leh Apex Body’s (LAB) planned march towards the China border.
The decision to lift the restrictions came with the assertion that there was no immediate threat to public peace and order, as stated in an official order issued by Leh District Magistrate Santosh Sukhadeve.
The order directed the immediate withdrawal of the prohibitory orders, citing the absence of any imminent breach of peace or public disturbance. This move follows the cancellation of the proposed border march to Changtehang near the China border by LAB organizers on April 7. The cancellation aimed to prevent any potential confrontation with law enforcement, particularly after the administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
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The order highlighted that the restrictions, initially imposed on April 5 to prevent disturbances to public tranquility, were recommended for withdrawal by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Leh, citing the current peaceful situation.
LAB leaders, including chairman Chering Dorjay and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, announced the cancellation of the border march during a press conference in Leh on April 6. They stated that the march had effectively raised awareness about issues such as farmers losing prime pasture lands to industrial development in the south and alleged Chinese encroachments in the north.
LAB, in collaboration with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), continues to lead efforts advocating for Ladakh’s statehood and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. LAB leaders declared their intention to persist in their peaceful struggle through methods such as chain hunger strikes and protests.
