Monday, Feb 06, 2023 07:45 [IST]
Last Update: Monday, Feb 06, 2023 02:12 [IST]
GANGTOK: Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) president Bhaichung Bhutia on Sunday demanded the SKM government to place a bill for provide seat reservation to Sikkimese Nepali and Limboo-Tamang communities in upcoming session of February 9.
“This bill should be passed and then sent to the Parliament to become an Act under clause (f) of Article 371F. If it takes more than one day then the Assembly session must be extended. There should be no attempt to hoodwink the people,” said the HSP president at a press meet here.
Bhaichung also demanded that the proceedings of the Assembly session be streamed live so that people can witness the discussions taking place on the present burning issues of Sikkim.
The HSP demanded that the State government should also pass a resolution in the Assembly to implement ILP in Sikkim and send it to the Home ministry.
Bhaichung held the SKM government, its alliance BJP and Chief Minister PS Golay responsible for the immigrant tag on the Sikkimese Nepali. It is due to the double-engine government of SKM and BJP that we have been branded as immigrants, he said.
“Golay must resign from his post till the Supreme Court judgment is revised. The Chief Minister is saying that he will fight the immigrant tag but he should first resign and then fight for the community if he feels the pinch of such objectionable tag. By now, the Chief Minister should have taken the entire cabinet to Delhi and take up the matter on an urgent note with the Central leaders,” said the HSP president.
Bhaichung also questioned why it took the State government two weeks to comment on the Supreme Court judgment though HSP, SRP and individuals have already raised the alarm after the verdict was delivered on January 13. “Now they are blaming the judges of Supreme Court. The SKM is in the government, instead of calling for an Assembly, they did a rally on January 29. Against whom were they doing the rally?,” he asked.
Bhaichung reminded that the HSP since its formation in 2018 has been raising the demand for removal of immigrant tag on Sikkimese Nepali, reservation of Nepali seats and implementation of ILP in the State. He welcomed the income tax exemption granted to the old settlers while alleging that the Chief Minister has a personal interest of securing the exemption at the cost of Sikkimese to benefit his “financiers” from outside Sikkim.
“Golay is working for some businessmen of Siliguri who had funded him in the 2019 election and also worked for his illegal backdoor entry as the Chief Minister. Hence, he will work for those businessmen only and not for Sikkim. His government has bent several rules and sold heritage properties of Sikkim for the benefit of his businessmen friends. He is making Sikkim another Josimath,” accused Bhaichung.
The HSP president questioned how Sudesh Joshi, one of the AOSS petitioners in 2013, was made the additional advocate general by the SKM government. The SKM government is solely responsible for the foreigner remark on Sikkimese Nepali and dilution of Sikkimese definition as it did not defended the matter in the court, he said.
Asked about the review petition filed by the State government, Bhaichung questioned whether it has been listed in the Supreme Court or not.
‘SKM still acting as an opposition party’
HSP president Bhaichung Bhutia maintained that the ruling SKM is acting like an opposition party and declared that the PS Golay-led front will be relegated as opposition permanently in the upcoming 2024 Assembly elections.
“The ruling SKM is acting like an opposition. It has not given up its habit of being an opposition. Don’t worry, you (SKM) will again be an opposition in 2024, this time permanently…results of 2022 panchayat election have clearly indicated this,’ said Bhaichung at a press meet.
“Note this down, SKM will not win even one seat in the 2024 elections. I will resign from politics if the SKM is elected to government again. It is a fact that the SKM cannot even field candidates in all the 32 seats. Everybody knows the reason,” said the HSP president.
Bhaichung urged youth not to engage in violence being presently witnessed in Sikkim as they will be made scapegoats if the SKM does not come to power in 2014.
“Our youth are being misguided by the SKM. Be careful, all your actions are being recorded in this age of digital technology. After one year when the SKM is gone, you will be in trouble with the law as police cases will be registered. The netas will not be coming to save you as they will be busy saving themselves,” said Bhaichung.
“The SKM government will go…100%. Those who are doing stone pelting, torching vehicles and assaulting people will be going to Rongyek jail…we will search and nab every culprit from within or outside the State and put them in jail,” said the HSP president. He appealed people to do protests in a peaceful manner. We condemn the present violence happening in Sikkim, he said.
Asked about the February 8 strike called by the Joint Action Council (JAC), Bhaichung said HSP is not in favour the bandh call. He questioned the need for the bandh call from JAC since the organization has already stated that the Chief Minister have agreed to all their demands including a special Assembly session. The Assembly session is on February 9 but they are calling the bandh a day before, we fail to understand this, he said.
