CHOGYAL APPRECIATED 1977 STAND ON MERGER

Merger ‘illegal’: Khatiwada

Khatiwada and Kazi

“The new party naturally attracted the attention of the entire State and the country, particularly the authorities in New Delhi, when in July 1977, it raised the merger issue and demanded a “review” of Sikkim’s status and its relations with India. In a memorandum, dated July 31, 1977, submitted to the Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, the SPC alleged that Sikkim’s merger with India was “illegal,” “unconstitutional” and against “the wishes of the Sikkimese people.”

“We had certainly not asked for merger with India which was imposed on us as a political trickery and debauchery, for, no one, however meek or small, have ever, in the entire history of the world, signed away his country as has been made to appear to have been done by Sikkimese leaders. It was because of our excessive trust and confidence on the protector Government and their zealous officials, on whose shoulders the blame falls squarely, for the Annexation of Sikkim,” the forwarding letter to the Prime Minister said. It pointed out, “We regret that under pretext of ushering in democracy to fulfil ‘the wishes of the people’ India’s action in Sikkim seems to have been motivated solely with the object of annexing it and making it a part and parcel of India.”

  The memorandum, signed by party functionaries, including five SPC M.L.A.s – Khatiwada, Dugo Bhutia, Mohan Gurung, B.B. Mishra, and Karma Gompo Lama – stated, “The methods used by them were the age-old methods of imperialist nations of divide and rule, propagating false propaganda, creating an illusion that democracy was being introduced and democratic institutions were being strengthened for the benefit of the Sikkimese people, whereas, in reality, the trust of the simple and innocent people were being deceived, exploited and betrayed.”

(Ref: Sons of Sikkim: The Rise and Fall of the Namgyal Dynasty of Sikkim, Jigme N. Kazi, published October 2020)