SIKKIM OBSERVER Page 1 Saturday June 21, 2014

Karmapa saddened by demise of Shamar Rinpoche

“My aspirations are yet to be fulfilled”

Karmapa with Shamar Rinpoche

Dharamshala. June 20: The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, has condoled the demise of the 14th Shamar Rinpoche, Mipham Chokyi Lodro, a senior religious leader of Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

 “I have had an unshakable faith and respect towards Rinpoche from the time I was young," Karmapa  said in a statement issued on 12 June, 2014.

"I had the good fortune of meeting Rinpoche once, with the hope of benefiting the Buddha dharma in general and the lineage in particular, and with the expectation that I may be able to offer some service towards his Dharma activities," he said, adding: "Unfortunately, my aspirations have not, as yet, been fulfilled," The Tibet Post International reported.

Karmapa  said that Sharmapa Rinpoche's "sudden passing away is a matter of great sadness."

He urged his followers to offer prayers: "As soon as I came to know of this hard to believe news, I instructed Rumtek Monastery, (the main seat of our lineage) and other monasteries to make offerings and perform pujas as grand as possible for 49 days. As Rinpoche had taken rest from the degenerate age of strife into the expanse of peace for a while."

"I live with great hope and strong aspirations that Shamar Rinpoche’s reincarnation will embody the life stories of his predecessors, and that good fortune and harmony within the lineage will arise soon," the statement said.

Shamar Rinpoche passed away in Germany on June 11. He was one of the three remaining Regents of Rumtek monastery in Sikkim.

Why Modi's first foreign visit sends a signal to China

New Delhi, June 20: China has been attempting to gain strategic leverage over India by deepening ties with Bhutan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept this in mind when he visited Bhutan this week.

Modi’s decision to make Bhutan the destination of his first official foreign visit is a further indication that his new government has made revitalising neighbourhood ties a priority, according to Monika Chansoria, a Senior Fellow and Head of the China-study Programme at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi.

Bhutan’s geographical position makes it a key strategic asset, being landlocked between China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to the west and south. Though Bhutan and China do not have established official diplomatic ties, they do maintain political and people-to-people contacts, and a degree of economic cooperation.

Indian official circles are aware of Chinese attempts to gain strategic leverage over India by deepening ties with Bhutan, and was kept in mind during the Prime Minster’s visit.

China shares a 470-km border with Bhutan to the north and has held 21 rounds of essentially fruitless boundary talks with China to resolve the boundary dispute. In the boundary-resolution dialogues between Thimphu and Beijing, the Chinese appear particularly focused on the Doklam Plateau (measuring 270 sq. km).

The Doklam Plateau is extremely close to the vital Chumbi Valley area and the Siliguri Corridor, the lifeline that connects India’s Northeast to the rest of the country. By making this plateau a key strategic pivot in the India-Bhutan-China equation, Beijing is working towards expanding its strategic advantage in the Chumbi Valley as well as closing in on access to the Siliguri Corridor, which lies 500 km from the Chumbi Valley.

This is why the recent announcement of Gautam Bambawale as India’s next Ambassador to Bhutan comes as a very interesting development. Bambawale currently serves as Joint Secretary, East Asia, in the Ministry of External Affairs, and was the lead negotiator of the India-China Border Defence Cooperation agreement, signed in October 2013 by Manmohan Singh and Chinese premier Li Keqiang. Bambawale will be adept at assessing the critical issues, especially those pertaining to boundary resolution.

Modi for strengthening of Bharat-Bhutan relations

Thimphu, June 20: Making Bhutan his first foreign destination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday vowed to nurture bilateral relations which he described as "B2B – Bharat to Bhutan" as he held talks with the Bhutanese King and the Premier, discussing an entire gamut of ties.

Embarking on a two-day trip here to display "special and unique" status for Bhutan in India's foreign policy, Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the Supreme Court complex built by India as part of the developmental cooperation. "The primary focus of both the meetings was the extensive development cooperation between the two countries and measures to enhance the economic ties," official sources said, PTI reported.

 Modi described the bilateral relations as "B2B relations – Bharat to Bhutan relations," the sources said on his meeting with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

Modi announced doubling of scholarships being provided to Bhutanese students in India which will now be worth Rs two crore. Prime Minister Modi also promised to assist Bhutan in setting up a digital library which will provide access to Bhutanese youth to two million books and periodicals.

The fact that the Prime Minister chose Bhutan as his first foreign destination assumes significance since China has lately intensified efforts to woo it and establish full- fledged diplomatic ties with Thimphu. Modi, accompanied by External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, was accorded a grand welcome as he arrived at the Paro airport and was received by Tobgay and several of his Cabinet colleagues.

The Bhutanese government rolled out the red carpet as Modi was given a ceremonial guard of honour. The Prime Minister drove down from Paro to Thimphu, a distance of about 50 km, traversing through the picturesque mountainous ranges.

 Common people, including children, in colourful attire lined up most of the road between Paro and Thimphu, waving Indian and Bhutanese flags. Big hoardings carrying Modi's photographs also could be seen en route. Modi's meeting with the Bhutanese King lasted for nearly an hour and then he held talks with Tobgay. Modi expressed satisfaction at India being considered as a privileged partner of Bhutan and underlined that his government "would not only nurture these strong bonds but would also strengthen them."

Woman dies due to GREF, govt negligence: SKM

roads in North Sikkim has led to the death of a woman on Monday.

Gangtok, June 20: Negligence of the State Government and GREF on construction and maintenance of roads in North Sikkim has led to the death of a woman on Monday.

In his letter to Chief Secretary R. Ongmu, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) MLA from Kabi Longtsok, North Sikkim, Ugen Nedup Bhutia, has alleged that an elderly woman from Namok died on Monday because she could not get timely and emergent medical treatment.

This was mainly due to poor condition of the North Sikkim Highway and ill-equipped and poorly-staffed primary health centre at Phodong.

Despite numerous representations made to the concerned authorities road condition of the tribal-inhabited area of north district continues to suffer.

The MLA has asked for sufficient number of excavators along the highway on a permanent basis.

“It is however not understandable as to why this kind of delay in prompt maintenance or restoration of roads particularly in the North district is witnessed every time that apparently also speaks the volume of a step motherly treatment that is being meted out,” Bhutia said in the letter.

If India becomes communal, Kashmir will not remain with it: Abdullah

“Kashimir is our home, why should we go to Pakistan”

Former Union Minister and Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) candidate Farooq Abdullah addressing an election campaign rally in Budgam (J&K). (PTI Photo)

Srinagar, June 20: Former Union Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said recently that Kashmir wouldn’t be part of an India that is “communal” and that those who “vote for Modi should jump into the sea”.

“India can’t be communal,” Farooq said addressing a rally in Srinagar’s Khanyar neighbourhood. “If India becomes communal, Kashmir will not remain with India. It will not remain.” The people of Kashmir will not accept communalism at any cost, he said.

Referring to statements by BJP Bihar leader Giriraj Singh and VHP leader Pravin Togadia, Farooq said: “And then they say those who don’t vote for (Narendra) Modi should go to Pakistan. (I say) those who vote for Modi should jump into the sea… Why should we go? This is our home. We are its owners,” PTI reported.

Earlier, NC leader and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that he would prefer going to Pakistan than to stop criticising Modi.

In Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back at Farooq Abdullah over his remarks, saying India does not need a certificate from him to become secular.

“Neither the country nor Jammu and Kashmir need a certificate from Farooq Abdullah to become secular. The actual matter of worry is the corrupt government run in Jammu and Kashmir by Abdullah and his son (Omar),” BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Sikkim grateful to former CJI on Assembly seat issue

Make Sikkim a happy place: Justice Venkatachaliah

Former Supreme Court of India Chief Justice, Justice MN Venkatachaliah, with Jigme N. Kazi in Bangalore on April 25, 2014.

Bangalore, June 20: Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Justice MN Venkatachaliah, who in 1993 gave a historic verdict upholding Sikkim Legislative Assembly reservation of 12 seats for the Bhutia-Lepchas and 1 for the Sangha, representing Buddhist monasteries in the former Buddhist kingdom of Sikkim, wants the people of Sikkim to be happy.

“Make Sikkim a happy place. People there deserve to be happy,” the former CJI told Jigme N Kazi, author and journalist, who called on him at his residence here recently.

Kazi, who has been made President of Sikkim unit of the All India Patriotic Forum (AIPF), was accompanied by Forum President Maj. Gen (Retd.) MK Paul.

Justice Venkatachaliah is the Patron-in-Chief of the Forum. Other prominent members of the Forum include Gen. (Retd.) SF Rodrigues, Lt. Gen (Retd.) and former Governor of Assam and JK SK Sinha, former Judge of Supreme Court Santosh Hegde and former Chief Secretary of Sikkim KS Rao.

Kazi has also been made a member of the 11-member National Advisory Council of the Forum. Sonam Dorjee, a senior teacher of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), Gangtok, has also been appointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Forum’s Sikkim unit.

While thanking Justice Venkatachaliah for the Supreme Court’s historic verdict in the Assembly seat case, Kazi also presented his books – Inside Sikim: Against the Tide and The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland – to the former CJI.

Inside Sikkim, while making references to Justice Venkatachaliah’s verdict on the seat case, gives a thorough background on the whole issue.

In his order, Justice Venkatachaliah, while upholding Assembly seat reservation of the indigenous Bhutia-Lepchas and Sangha under Article 371F of the Constitution, observed: “The inequalities in representation in the present case are an inheritance and compulsion from the past. Historical considerations have justified a differential treatment.”

These words made all the difference to the struggle for preservation of Sikkim’s distinct identity within the Union.

Editorial

SPECIAL  STATUS

An Article Of Faith

    Union Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah needs to be applauded for his bold stand by those who defend the ‘special status’ provided by the Constitution to several states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Northeast and Sikkim.  Abdullah’s recent warning that Kashmir will not be a part of India if the Modi-led BJP government pursues its Hindutva agenda and goes ‘communal’. Much the same sentiments will be echoed in the Northeastern states of the country, including Sikkim, if New Delhi is bent on erasing the distinct identity and concessions provided to the peoples of the frontier regions during their ‘merger’ with the Indian Union.

    The BJP manifesto states that the party is committed to abrogating Article 370. If the BJP rakes up the controversial issue to strengthen its hold among the subcontinent’s Hindu populace there is likely to be a major political uncertainty in most border states of the country which feel uncomfortable with the way New Delhi has been handling their affairs. An editorial in Greater Kashmir newspaper recently stated: “The Article (Art 370) has actually served as a bridge to facilitate J&K’s accession with India. Its abrogation would be tantamount to burning this bridge.” JK’s main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has said that Article 370 cannot be abrogated without bringing into question the fundamentals of that relationship. While terming Article 370 as “an article of faith”, the PDP said Article 370 is non-negotiable and irrevocable.

      It may be recalled that the Supreme Court of India during the hearing of a controversial case to abrogate Article 371F (Sikkim) in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly seat reservation issue in early 1984 observed that if Article 371F is abrogated Sikkim will not remain a part of India. It may not be an overstatement to state that if New Delhi continues to dilute the special provisions meant for JK and Northeastern states, including Sikkim, the people of the region may soon lose faith in India and decide not to be a part of it.

"Rise oh fallen fighters, rise and take your stance again!"

                                                                                       BOB MARLEY

                                                                                          Since1986

                                     Sikkim OBSERVER

                                                              The VOICE OF SIKKIM