Protest March in Ladakh
Ladakh is a magical place. I was fortunate to spend a month there in October, 1989. Beyond all the wonderful, scenic vistas and people, I was able to attend a rally for Union Territory status on October 27th, forty two years after Indian troops entered Kashmir in 1947. The day is symbolic and both Kashmir and Ladakh were planning “bandhs”, the local equivalent of a strike. In Kashmir, the people were striving for more autonomy from the state government. Ladakh had different ideas. They desired Union Territory status from Kashmir. They believed that they had little political authority in the Jammu and Kashmir government. A Union Territory would preserve their culture and heritage. Also, the Kashmiris were hoarding state and tourist money, keeping the business and cash in Kashmir and not Ladakh.
