The Centre has announced a judicial investigation into the killing of four protesters in Leh during a police firing incident last month. The probe will be led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice BS Chauhan, the Home Ministry said in an official statement.

Justice BS Chauhan to head inquiry into Leh violence

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the inquiry will look into the events that led to the September 24 violence in Leh, where four people, including a Kargil war veteran, were killed in police firing.

The MHA statement read, “To ensure an impartial inquiry, the Ministry of Home Affairs has notified a Judicial Inquiry to be conducted by Dr Justice BS Chauhan into the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, the police action, and the resultant unfortunate death of four individuals.”

A judicial probe headed by a retired top court judge was among the key demands of Ladakhi groups seeking statehood and constitutional safeguards for the region.

Centre reiterates dialogue with Ladakh leaders

The Home Ministry reaffirmed that the government remains open to talks with local representatives. “We will continue to welcome discussions with Apex Body Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) through the High-Powered Committee on Ladakh or any such platform,” it said, expressing confidence that “continuous dialogue will yield desired results.”

The ministry added that the government “stands committed to the aspirations of the people of Ladakh.”

Sonam Wangchuk accused of “instigating mob”

Following the September 24 violence, the MHA blamed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for allegedly “instigating the mob through his provocative speech.” Wangchuk had been on a 15-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional protection for Ladakh before violence broke out. He was later detained under the National Security Act and is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail.

Protests and growing unrest since 2019 bifurcation

Since Ladakh’s separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370, there has been rising discontent in the region. Initially welcomed by many, the Union Territory status has since sparked widespread protests over the absence of political representation and legal protection of land, jobs, and culture.

In recent years, political and religious groups from both Leh and Kargil — including the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance — have united to push for constitutional safeguards.

Despite multiple rounds of discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Ladakhi leaders have claimed that their core demands were rejected, leading to the breakdown of talks earlier this year.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a sharp attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav over his promise to provide a government job to one member from every family in Bihar. Addressing a rally in Patna ahead of the state Assembly elections, Shah called the proposal “unfeasible” and questioned how the RJD plans to finance such a massive employment scheme.

Tejashwi Yadav had recently vowed that within 20 days of forming the government, his party would introduce a law guaranteeing a job to at least one person from each household. “There will be no home in Bihar without a job,” he had said, describing the plan as practical and not just political rhetoric.

Amit Shah, however, countered the claim, saying, “The RJD’s promise of government jobs to every family is not feasible. How will they raise the money for it?” He also accused Yadav of misleading the youth with unrealistic pledges at a time when the ruling BJP-JDU alliance is offering unemployment allowance rather than making impossible commitments.

The Union Minister also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling his ongoing “Voter Adhikar Yatra” a cover for protecting “illegal immigrants.” “He can lead as many ‘save infiltrator yatras’ as he wants, but the BJP will not allow illegal immigrants to stay in the country,” Shah asserted.

Tejashwi Yadav, who earlier served as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, has defended his record, claiming his previous tenure saw 3 lakh youths employed within months under the Grand Alliance government.

Elections for the 243-member Bihar Assembly will take place in two phases — on November 6 and 11 — with counting scheduled for November 14.

In a major reshuffle of Gujarat’s council of ministers, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday expanded his cabinet and elevated Harsh Sanghavi as the state’s new Deputy Chief Minister, while BJP MLA Rivaba Jadeja made a surprise entry as a Minister of State.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat, who oversaw the swearing-in of 19 new ministers, taking the total strength of the council to 26.

Key faces in Bhupendra Patel’s new team

Harsh Sanghavi, a two-term MLA from Surat’s Majura constituency and one of BJP’s prominent young leaders, previously served as the Minister of State for Home. His elevation to Deputy Chief Minister marks his growing influence within the party.

All 16 ministers from the earlier cabinet had resigned ahead of the reshuffle, though six were retained — Kanubhai Patel, Rushikesh Patel, Kunvarji Bavalia, Harsh Sanghavi, Praful Pansheriya, and Purshottam Solanki. Among these, only Sanghavi and Pansheriya took fresh oaths during the ceremony.

Rivaba Jadeja among new ministers

The inclusion of Rivaba Jadeja, the MLA from Jamnagar North and wife of Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, drew significant attention. She was sworn in as Minister of State, marking her first ministerial role in the Gujarat government.

Other notable names in the reshuffled cabinet include Jitu Vaghani, Arjun Modhwadia, and Manisha Vakil. The reshuffle follows the recent appointment of Jagdish Vishwakarma as the new state BJP president, as the party works to consolidate its political base across Gujarat ahead of the next elections.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who assumed office in September 2021 after Vijay Rupani’s resignation, continues to maintain strong backing from the central leadership.