Jairam Ramesh demands Sixth Schedule for Ladakh ahead of Mongolian President's visit

New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday took a dig at the Centre over the demand of including Ladakh into the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, ahead of President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa's visit to India from October 13-16.
Recounting the role of 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, a Buddhist lama and India's ambassador to Mongolia, in strengthening ties between the two nations, Ramesh alleged that the ruling party is refusing to fulfil the promise for the Sixth Schedule.
Sharing an X post, the Congress leader wrote, "The President of Mongolia arrives in New Delhi today, accompanied by a high-powered delegation... The 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche's Ladakh now desperately awaits a healing touch from the nation, but most of all by the leadership of a party that promised Sixth Schedule Constitutional protection in its manifesto for the local hill council elections in 2020, but is now, as the ruling party, refusing to fulfil that promise."
He said that the appointment of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in 1989 as India's Ambassador to Mongolia marked a "turning point" in the diplomatic relations between the two nations.
"Diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia go back to December 1955. India played an important role in Mongolia's joining the UN in October 1961. The turning point in the relationship was Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's inspired appointment of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in October 1989 as India's Ambassador to Mongolia. He took over in January 1990. He was a highly revered Buddhist monk and public figure of Ladakh and served for an unusual ten years as Ambassador," he wrote.
He recalled that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh renamed the Leh Airport after the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche in 2005.
"He played a key role in helping Mongolia rediscover and celebrate its Buddhist heritage after the collapse of communism there in 1990 itself. He remains an iconic figure in Mongolia. On June 10, 2005, the Leh Airport was renamed after the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who hailed him as the 'architect of modern Ladakh.' The revival of Buddhism - not just in Mongolia and the erstwhile USSR - but also in India itself owes much to him," the X post read.
President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa will pay a state visit to India from October 13 to 16 at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu, , a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Ukhnaa will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior officials, business leaders, and cultural representatives.
This will be Ukhnaa's first visit to India in his capacity as Head of State of Mongolia, as per MEA.
Meanwhile, there have been protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, which turned violent on September 24, leading to police action killing four individuals. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike, has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) following the violence. (ANI)