If unrest spreads, fault lies with govt: Udit Raj on Mehbooba Mufti's Ladakh remarks

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) Congress leader Udit Raj on Saturday responded to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s statement on the protests in Leh, warning that the developments in Ladakh are not rooted in local discontent but are the result of governance failures.

He cautioned that continued “false statements” by authorities, especially by the BJP, could spark unrest across the country.

“The situation that has arisen in Leh is not the fault of the people there, but the government is responsible. If timely steps are not taken and false statements continue, PM Modi, then unrest could spread across the entire country,” Udit Raj said.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput echoed concerns over the growing youth unrest, saying: “There are Gen Zs on the streets across the country, Mehbooba Saheba, not just in Leh. Today, the youth of the country want development and employment‑oriented growth. They want relief from unemployment and respect. But the Bharatiya Janata Party government is pledging their rights to a few industrial houses, even before multinational companies and in front of the United States.”

Mehbooba Mufti has recently drawn national attention by linking youth protests in Leh and beyond to a broader generational awakening.

On X, she wrote: “From Uttarakhand to Ladakh & across the border in Kashmir, Gen Z is rising. Because when your future feels bleak & your dreams are shattered - resistance knows no borders. These are young people who toiled for a future studied hard, followed every rule and held on to a ray of hope."

She framed the unrest not merely as isolated incidents, but as symptoms of systemic failure, asserting that young people are demanding accountability, opportunity, dignity, and justice.

"It’s a wake up call for our country India, and even neighbouring Pakistan," she added.

In Leh protests, clashes broke out after a hunger strike by local people demanding statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent as two of the elderly people on the fast fell sick. Four people were reportedly killed in police firing, multiple buildings, including a BJP office, were torched, and curfews were imposed.

Mufti has also accused the Centre of “wrong policies” and warned that Ladakh risks becoming an “open jail.” She cautioned that residents fear losing their land, cultural identity, and local control, and said that symbolic “jumlas” (empty promises) will not suffice.

--IANS

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