Amit Shah to start two-day Ladakh visit today

Ladakh, April 30 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit the Union Territory of Ladakh on a two-day tour starting Thursday, during which he will pay his respects to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on May 1.

Ahead of the visit, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also announced that a meeting of the Sub-Committee will be held on May 22 for discussions with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).

The previous round of talks between the stakeholders took place on February 4 in New Delhi, and the upcoming meeting will be held after a gap of nearly three and a half months.

According to officials, Shah is scheduled to arrive in Leh later in the day and will offer prayers to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha on May 1 as part of the Buddha Purnima observance.

During his visit, the Home Minister is also expected to review ongoing development projects in Ladakh and hold interactions with prominent citizens of the Union Territory. However, the administration has not yet released a detailed itinerary of his engagements.

The announcement of Shah’s visit was made earlier on April 26 by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

“It gives me great pleasure in sharing that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be arriving in Leh on April 30 for a two-day visit. On May 1, he will pay his respects to the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and share his thoughts on the spiritual significance of the sacred exposition being held in Ladakh from May 1-14,” the Lieutenant Governor said in a post on X.

He further noted that the visit highlights the Government of India’s continued focus on the development of Ladakh.

Shortly after announcing the visit, the Lieutenant Governor also informed that the MHA has decided to convene a meeting of the Sub-Committee to continue political dialogue with representatives of Ladakh-based groups on May 22.

“I am pleased to announce that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India, has taken a decision to convene a meeting of the sub-committee for political dialogue on May 22. This will carry forward the process of constructive democratic dialogue with key stakeholders of Ladakh and pave the way for an enduring solution to meet the aspirations of the people of Ladakh,” he said in another post on X.