'Kashmir has always treated Ladakh as a step-mother’: BJP MP from Ladakh welcomes Centre’s decision to make it UT

New Delhi: Asserting that Kashmir has always treated Ladakh as a step-mother, BJP MP from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal said that citizens of Ladakh have welcomed the central government’s decision to announce Ladakh as Union Territory without a legislature. [caption id=“attachment_7021831” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “I welcome the Bill on behalf of everyone in Ladakh. People there wanted the region to be a Union Territory. People in Ladakh always wanted the region to be free from the dominance and discrimination of Kashmir, that is happening today,” said Namgyal. “This decision will lead to the development of Ladakh. People of Ladakh always wanted to stay in touch with the central government directly, that is why we were demanding to announce Ladakh as Union Territory,” he added. Namgyal believes that this decision is extremely beneficial for the development of Ladakh and border security. On being asked about the regional parties condemning the central government’s decision, Namgyal said, “These political parties do not think for the betterment of this nation. They just want to run their family business and that is what they have been doing.” “Political parties in Kashmir have always discriminated Ladakh as a part of their state, be it in the area of development, funding, and employment. Kashmir has always treated Ladakh as a step-mother,” Namgyal added.