BANNER OF REVOLT
“There
is one thing stronger
than
all the armies of the world;
and
that is an idea
whose time has come.”
-
Victor Hugo
“One
of the strongest
characteristics
of genius is
the
power of lighting its own fire”
- John Foster
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At around 9 in the morning of April 26 this
Wednesday my boys helped me to raise a black flag on the top of my building at
Nam Nang, Gangtok. There are now seven flags atop my incomplete concrete
structure. Five of them in different colours (blue, white, red, green and
yellow), reflecting the five elements of the earth, are Buddhist prayer flags,
one is the OSU (Organisation of Sikkimese Unity) flag in red and yellow,
bearing the Khukuri and Khorlo symbols, which stand for unity
and identity of the three ethnic communities of Sikkim. The last addition is a
black flag made of Swiss cotton. Seven is a good number, and I strongly believe
that the last flag is significant in its own unique way.
Three
years back, I, as the OSU Chairman, gave an ultimatum to the Centre to restore
the political rights of the bonafide Sikkimese people as per Article 371F of
the Constitution of India by April 26, 2000, when the former kingdom completes
25 years as an Indian State.
Though
each year the State Day is observed on May 16, it must be noted that the Indian
Parliament, by inserting Article 371F in the Constitution, through the April
26, 1975 amendment, made Sikkim the 22nd State of the India Union.
The
betrayal of the Sikkimese people through violation of the provisions of this
article of faith and trust by
By
taking note of the 1978 Sikkim Scheduled Tribes Order the 1980 Act indirectly
did away with reservation of 12 Assembly seats of the Bhutias and Lepchas. The
unclear definition of “Sikkimese” proves that seats reserved for the Lepchas,
Sangha and Scheduled Castes may not necessarily go to a bonafide Sikkimese
belonging to these communities.
Ever
since 1978-79, the people of Sikkim, through its governments, political and
social organizations, have persistently asked the Centre to honour its
commitment made to the Sikkimese people during 1974-75 and restore the
political rights of the Sikkimese people. Despite the overwhelming support on
the seat issue in the past twenty years New Delhi still refuses to budge an
inch and instead is going ahead with its divide and rule policy.
New
Delhi’s obvious silence on the issue is not just for two or three years. Twenty
five years - a quarter of century - is a
long time to meet the just demands of the Sikkimese people. Keeping the
Sikkimese people perpetually waiting on this issue is not in the interest of
the nation, particularly when many sensitive issues are related to it. The raising of a black flag on this historic
day in this sensitive and strategic border State should not be ignored. The
banner of revolt will spread if New Delhi continues to suppress the just
demands of the Sikkimese people.
The
OSU was primarily formed to preserve, protect and promote
However,
we are now fully convinced that most of those who claim to champion the cause
of the Sikkimese people are not genuine, sincere and serious about the problems
and plight of the Sikkimese people. Therefore, it is with a heart full of
burden and concern for the long-term interest of the Sikkimese people that we
in the OSU decided to take things seriously and not depend on others to do all
that we want to do for our fellow Sikkimese.
The black flag atop my building facing Sikkim’s mighty Kanchenjunga is also a protest against those who have failed to honour the people’s mandate and thereby politically and enonomically suppressed the Sikkimese people in the past two and half decades. While my initiative is a mark of protest and revolt, it is also a symbol of hope for those who still have faith in themselves to continue with the struggle for survival in the land of their origin.
(Ref: Sikkim Observer, April 29-May
5, 2000.)
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