Nous Podcast

What’s Happening in Ladakh? Hanifa Jaan Breaks It Down

In this Nous podcast episode, MP Hanifa Jaan joins Asad Ashraf to examine Ladakh after Article 370—probing democratic erosion, bureaucratic control, identity, environmental crises, and the region’s struggle for genuine representation and constitutional safeguards.

Nous Admin

07 Jan 2026 — 1 min read

In this episode of the Nous Network podcast, we examine the political and democratic consequences of Ladakh’s transformation after the abrogation of Article 370. Host Asad Ashraf is joined by Hanifa Jaan, Member of Parliament from Ladakh, for a detailed conversation on governance, identity, and survival in the region.
The discussion traces how Union Territory status led to what many describe as bureaucratic domination, weakening local democratic representation. Hanifa Jaan reflects on the protections once offered by Articles 370 and 35A—covering land, employment, and cultural identity—and asks whether the government is genuinely committed to Sixth Schedule safeguards or statehood.
The podcast also addresses unemployment, demographic anxieties, environmental breakdown, glacier melt, and water scarcity. It critically engages with official narratives around protests and the treatment of voices like Sonam Wangchuk. At its core, this episode asks: what happens to democracy when local consent is replaced by distant administration—and what might Ladakh lose if this trajectory continues?

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