He reiterated the administration’s commitment to building an inclusive, sustainable and future-ready Ladakh while preserving its fragile ecology and unique cultural heritage. Across Ladakh, the seventh anniversary of UT status was observed in sharply contrasting ways, reflecting the region’s ongoing political debate. Kargil Democratic Alliance leader Sajjad Kargili said August 5 “remains a day of betrayal for the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.” He argued that Ladakh’s conversion into a UT without an elected assembly or democratic representation had left the region politically vulnerable. Ladakh, he said, deserved justice, meaningful democratic empowerment and constitutional protections.