More than four years ago, when India’s Hindu nationalist government carved out Ladakh from Indian-administered Kashmir, the regional capital, Leh, erupted in joy. A majority of its voters even cast ballots for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party for fulfilling a long-term demand. They had accused the Kashmir-based leadership of discriminating against the Buddhist-majority Himalayan region, known for its snowcapped peaks and lush grasslands.
But the jubilation in Leh did not last long.
