SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday   May 24-31,  2013    

My blog: jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

BHANDARI BACK AS SSP PREZ

SSP to give top priority to May 8^th Agreement, Art. 371F, ‘sons of the soil’ policy

Bhandari for Karmapa’s return, 1970 as cut-off year for old settlers

Gangtok, May 24: The political situation in Sikkim becomes more fluid even as former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari quits the Congress party, which he headed since 2003, and revives his Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) – with himself as President – at a historic meeting of the party held here today.

At his first public meeting of the SSP held here today at Sangram Bhavan to celebrate the party’s 29^th anniversary, Bhandari who ruled the State for three consecutive terms (1979-1994), set out his party’s agenda for the 2014 Assembly elections.

Addressing the meeting, Bhandari said his party would give “top priority” to promises made to the Sikkimese people by the Government of India in the historic May 8, 1973 Tripartite Agreement and Article 371F, which was inserted in the Constitution when the former kingdom became the 22^nd State of the Indian Union in April 1975.

Laws can be “amended” but “agreements” such as the May 8, 1973 Tripartite Agreement, “cannot be amended.”

“Sons of the soil will be our policy when we form the government,” Bhandari said. While backing the aspirations of the “old settlers” in the State, Bhandari said 1970 would be the cut-off year to determine the identity of purano byaparis in the State.

The former chief minister promised to bring the 17^th Karmapa, Ugyen Thinley Dorje, to Sikkim when his party forms the government. He said the Centre was not against the return of the Karmapa to Sikkim and blamed Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on the issue.

The SSP chief (Bhandari was nominated SSP President after his recent removal as SPCC President) said he was in favour of forming an alliance with SDF rebel leader PS Golay to dislodge Chamling. “Talks are going on for the alliance,” Bhandari said.
He favours President’s rule in the State before the next Assembly polls to ensure free and fair polls. “If the janta wants we can bring President’s rule,” Bhandari said.

The outgoing SSP President, Rajendra Upreti – now the Working President of the SSP – and Kamal Rai, SSP Vice-President, sat next to Bhandari on the dais.

Speaking on the occasion, Upreti said even after 19 years in power the Chamling Government failed to restore the political demands of the Sikkimese people.

Former President of Mahila Congress Chumsang Shenga, who quit Congress to join Bhandari, released Bhandari’s book on the merger period during the meeting. Shenga, Lalit Sharma and Manoj Rai, who addressed the gathering, urged the Sikkimese to come forward to save Sikkim.

   Briefing reporters after the meeting, Bhandari said “The Centre is shielding Chamling as it is in favour of corrupt governments.” He said he had raised corruption issue against Chamling at a high-level Congress meeting in New Delhi recently, where Congress President Sonia Gandhi was also present. “Chamling is trying to save his skin from the CBI,” Bhandari said.

Bhandari also pointed out that he had apprised the President, Pranab Mukherjee, on the issue of Darjeeling-Sikkim merger during his recent visit to the State. Bhandari said he had opposed the merger while backing formation of Gorkhaland state. 

Golay’s Parivartan campaign reaches North Sikkim

POLITICAL ANALYSIS 

Gangtok, May 24: The minority Bhutia-Lepcha tribals have about 25% of the vote share in the State but the two indigenous communities, due to historical reasons, have 13 seats, including the lone Sangha seat, reserved for them in the 32-member Assembly.

As the former chief minister NB Bhandari is getting all set to revive his Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP), which merged with the Congress in 2003, rebel ruling party legislator PS Golay took his parivartan campaign to the Bhutia-Lepcha-dominated north district.

If Golay is able to get a substantial backing of the OBCs in the State, which dominate west and south districts, and make inroads into the Bhutia-Lepcha camp he will have carved out a strong base for the ensuing Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

In Dzongu, the rebel leader raised issues relating to hydel power projects. While the Lepchas of Dzongu failed to persuade the Chamling Government to scrap the Teesta hydel projects, the Bhutias of Lachen are vehemently opposed to power projects in their area.

Golay’s claim during his visit to Dzongu this week that he parted ways with Chief Minister Pawan Chamling due to his differences with the SDF chief on implementation of power projects went down well with the tribals.

According to reports, the tribal population in the State, including Limbus and Tamangs, is 33%. East district, which has 12 Assembly constituencies, has a large number of Bhutia-Lepchas (BLs). If the BLs align with the dominant Bahun-Chettris in this district and if Bhandari is able to get the backing of these four communities to his side it would make things difficult for Golay as well as Chamling.

Has Navin Pradhan ditched his colleagues?

     Navin Kiran Pradhan (centre) with ASESUA activists during a protest rally in Gangtok.

Gangtok, May 24: Navin Kiran Pradhan would have us believe that the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which he has been vehemently opposing in the past several years on various issues ranging from corruption, unemployment and local protection under Art. 371F, is now the best party in Sikkim. He also wants us to believe that his colleagues within the All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed & Unemployed Association, which Pradhan heads, are also with him on the choice of SDF.

Pradhan reportedly wants to quit the Association and join the ruling party. He also says that his colleagues will also accompany him into the ruling party. However, if media reports are to be believed there are differences within the Association over Pradhan’s latest move, which has caught most people by surprise.

Reports indicate that most members of the Association would not join the ruling party as claimed by Pradhan.

Recently, Pradhan had opened a ‘people’s office’ here. He had also attended social activist Arvind Kejriwal’s meeting in New Delhi recently and even invited him to visit Sikkim to raise issues that concern the people.

The question to be asked is not whether Pradhan has ditched his colleagues who have stood by him through thick and thin but whether he himself has let down the people by his latest moves.

Sikkim Observer   Saturday May 25-31,  2013

Editorial

DEATH OF A STUDENT

Our Reckless Ways Must Stop

Rackshit Singh Meena, the only son of a senior police officer from Rajasthan, is no more. His death at a midnight brawl at Gangtok’s nightclub Café Live & Loud in the hands of the capital’s rich and powerful kids – condemnable and unfortunate – will  soon be forgotten. Those arrested in connection with the incident will surely – somehow – be freed. Not long ago another person was killed in almost the same premises at Tibet Road and the tragic incident was hushed up. But the loss of a student, who is into his third year at the engineering college, is too much to bear for a family for whom Rackshit was the only child. Our prayers and sympathies are with the bereaved family.

The police did well to arrest the culprits despite some of them being sons of VVIPs. Those in charge at the STNM hospital must also be pulled up for refusing to treat the patient.  Reaction against the tragic incident by political parties was timely and effective. Now that the authorities have taken precautionary measures to shut down bars by 11 pm in east district there must be effective mechanism to ensure that this rule is followed everywhere and at all times. The public, too, must actively participate in its application