Leh: Stating that the people of Ladakh are happy with the Union Territory status, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Monday said that the militancy incidents have significantly reduced after the region was made a separate Union Territory (UT) and that it lacked socio-economic development that was another reason for giving it a UT status.
The Defense Minister of India Rajnath Singh, who is on a three days visit to the Ladakh region Monday inaugurated 63 infra projects completed by the Defence Wing Border Road Organisation (BRO).
Addressing the gathering in presence of Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on the sidelines of the inauguration of the strategic bridge at Kungyam in Leh, the Defence Minister said that there are many reasons as to why the region was created as a separate Union Territory but the two main reasons are militancy and the lack of socio-economic development.
He said that no matter how much assistance from the central government is given the required amount of socio-economic development would not have happened while the people have been deprived so far.
“Militancy-related activities that used to continue have reduced after the region was made as UT”, he said. “The Army Parliamentary force and Local police are worth praise who are working in joint combination.”
The Defence Minister said that militants are getting killed in the hinterland with the mutual coordination of security forces and that they are also being given the opportunity to surrender and come back to the mainstream to live a normal life. “There cannot be any other big example than this of our forces”, he said.
Rajnath said that the people of Ladakh are happy with the UT status. The Defence Minister also said that why can’t we sort out all the pending issues with the neighboring countries since “we will continue to be neighbors to all of them for the times to come.”
Referring to India, the Defence Minister said that “we have always come open with a message.” “The whole world is our family and we don’t want to see peace in India only rather across the globe and never intend to attack anyone,” he said.
The Defence Minister remembered the 20 soldiers who lost their lives in Galwan Valley last year and paid rich tributes to them stating that it was due to these supreme sacrifices “We managed to push China’s PLA back from encroaching our land in the Ladakh region,” he said.
