Ladakhโa clash of geopolitics and local aspiration
The Shangri-la is losing its quiet. Geographically isolated, topographically harsh and culturally exotic; Ladakh, the land of monasteries and monks rarely grabs headlines due to several factors. The high altitude, cold weather and minuscule population make it a difficult choice for political experiment and unrest.ย ย With barely 2.8 lakh population, it is not an attractive vote bank. Secondly, spread over an area of 59,146 kmยฒ, the sparse population further isolates Ladakh politically. The Ladakhi Buddhists are not Ambedkarites; their politics is not of the caste and reservation.ย Ladakh is divided into two districtsโLeh with majority Buddhist and Kargil with predominantly…