SIKKIMESE PATRIOT, MM RASAILY, CHALLENGES CLOSER TIES WITH INDIA

 Madan Mohan Rasaily was the next main target of the pro-India elements in Sikkim. As Secretary and Auditor General of the Sikkim Government, Rasaily was perhaps one of the Chogyal’s most able and trusted among the senior officials. That he belonged to the majority Nepali community added a new dimension to his proximity to the Chogyal. Not only was Rasaily a prominent member of the ‘Study Forum’ – viewed by observers as Sikkim’s think-tank – but was also a regular fixture at the Palace. Rasaily not only accompanied the Chogyal to Kathmandu along with Jigdal Densapa but had also filed a petition in the Central Court of Gangtok, challenging New Delhi’s dictatorial role in Sikkim.

    The petition challenged the validity of section 30 of the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, which stated that Sikkim may request the Government of India to “seek participation and representation of the people of Sikkim in the political institutions of India.” The constitution suit – filed against the Chief Executive, the Chief Minister, and the Sikkim Assembly – also challenged all provisions of the Tripartite Agreement of May 8, 1973, the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, and the Constitution (35th Amendment) Act of 1974 of the Indian Parliament, which made Sikkim an Associate State of India.

   Having almost exhausted all political options to stop the merger, the Chogyal and anti-merger leaders had no other alternative but to approach the highest judicial forum in the kingdom to seek justice. The movement for a more democratic set-up in Sikkim also included the demand for an independent judiciary. Therefore, much hope was pinned on Rasaily’s petition. There was much jubilation in the capital when the interim injunction, sought against the election of two members of the Sikkim Assembly to the Indian Parliament, was granted by the Central Court Judge, Tarachand Harimol, on March 29, 1975.

   Rasaily’s petition and the interim order had an electrifying effect among anti-merger forces in Sikkim. It made the pro-merger groups feel more insecure and apprehensive about their future role in the kingdom. They felt that even the judiciary was harping on its independence and, therefore, not giving the desired support and cooperation to Lal to complete India’s design in Sikkim. What made things worse was the decision of the Chief Judge of the High Court at Gangtok, S.K. Prasad, to allow the release of six persons jailed on December 6, 1974 for alleged attempts to assassinate Kazi.

   The Choygal stoutly backed the judges and opposed Lal’s attempts to denigrate the independence of the judiciary in Sikkim, “I am irrevocably committed to a full responsible government for my people, and it would be my sacred duty to ensure that the judiciary remains truly independent. I am not adverse to any essential changes in order to strengthen, but not to reduce, the independence of the judiciary.” 1

   Datta-Ray describes the hearing of Rasaily’s petition in the court on March 29, 1975, “The first hearing of these two cases was on 29 March. Harimol had not had time to study the constitutional points raised in Rasaily’s 18-page application. Ananda Bhattacharyya, the government advocate representing Lal, Kazi, and the other defendants, also said he would like some time; he, therefore, agreed to the judge’s plan for an interim order to maintain status quo until both had been able to examine the submission. But Bhattacharyya was suddenly called out of the courtroom just as the order was about to be issued; he returned a few minutes later with an application signed by some of the defendants, opposing an interim injunction and requesting adjournment. Harimol ignored the advocate’s second thoughts, and dictated an order restraining the assembly for the time being from sending MPs to New Delhi or discussing the Chogyal and his relatives.” 2 Lal and Kazi were asked to file their objections by April 28, the date fixed for final order.

   Delhi’s reaction to the Chogyal’s defiance and Harimol’s straightforwardness was swift and decisive. It took the unilateral liberty of interpreting the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, and placed the Chief Executive as the supreme authority in Sikkim’s judiciary. Harimol was forced to take leave, and he left for New Delhi on April 10, 1975. Meanwhile, the Sikkim Assembly passed a resolution maintaining that the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, was the highest law of the land and its validity could not be challenged in any court of law. 3 The Sikkim Congress press note said, “…the provisions of the Tripartite Agreement of May 8, 1973, and the Government of Sikkim Act, 1974, are the paramount law of the land to which all authorities in Sikkim – the legislative, the executive and the judiciary – are subordinate and its validity cannot be challenged in any court of law in Sikkim.” 4

    These developments put an abrupt end to Rasaily’s petition, and all legal means to safeguard Sikkim’s separate identity came to a grinding halt. Harimol described the period as “the complete collapse of the administration of justice, in a way most humiliating and distressing.” 5 In his 14-page note, titled “Now It Can Be Told,” to the Janata Government headed by Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, two years later in April 1977, Harimol wrote, “The lighthouse was damaged and demolished with contempt which it never deserved. About two days later, (in early April, perhaps on April 2 or 3 – author) I was called by the chief executive on the pretext of discussing and drawing up a scheme for the appointment of some civil judicial officers. But his main target was the ad interim order dated March 29 in the civil suit (Rasaily’s two petitions).”

   He added, “In a tone arrogant and insulting, he asked me why I had passed even such an apparently innocuous order and not adjourned the matter. Little did he know that it was judicial order and not an administrative one. Any such interference could entail serious consequences. But the judiciary is powerless if ignored by the executive. It was the most humiliating experience in my life as a judge. Little did he realise that it was not an insult to me, but he was trying to debase the institution and its value. I must admit I could not stand it. I told the chief executive that I would not continue in office and would submit my resignation immediately. But it appeared he did not want that. He intended to humiliate the judiciary further. My resignation could have possibly created some public stir there or in India. The chief executive abruptly changed his mood, spoke a few kind words and persuaded me not to put in my resignation.”

(Ref: Sons of Sikkim: The Rise and Fall of the Namgyal Dynasty of Sikkim)

 

 

I HAVE PAID MY DEBT TO SIKKIM

 Intuitions and impulses have a way of revealing our inner self if one attentively waits and listens to what they have to say. It takes its own time to speak to you. It chooses its own unique and peculiar ways to give the message. One must be ready to listen to the inner voice and willing to abide by its promptings.

   And slowly and gradually I became aware of what really prompted me to submit my resignation to the SPCC(I) chief on August 25, 2004. It may not be the only reason but it certainly was one of the main reasons for my sudden decision to quit public life.

   The failure of Sikkim’s political leadership, dominated by Sikkimese Nepalese, on the long-pending demand on restoration of the political rights of the people through reservation of seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, has already been highlighted in this book in the preceding chapters. There is no point in repeating it. However, what needs to be emphasized is the role of the younger generation of Sikkimese Nepalese leaders in the Congress party as far as our political rights are concerned.

   Without naming them many of them were not comfortable working under Bhandari in the Congress party. In fact, they preferred another person to head the Congress party in Sikkim. These were also the same persons who suffered under both Bhandari and Chamling’s rule. Some of them in the past so many years have taken their stand in safeguarding the distinct identity of Sikkim and the Sikkimese while voicing their concern on erosion of democratic values in the State.

   Ever since the SSP-Cong merger in August 2003 I expected and wanted this particular group within the Congress party to take the lead in not only revamping the party but also in asserting their leadership with the objective of forming the government one day and providing good governance and thereby safeguarding our special status within the Union.

   But it gradually dawned on me that this group, who were young, educated and had some political experience, was sadly falling far below my expectation. It is one thing to make occasional headlines in the local media for the right cause but quite another to wage a prolonged war against vested interests on behalf of the people. Most of them were from the upper-caste Nepalese community and were expected to put up a better show than the more older politicians from the majority community.

   In private, this group thought highly of themselves and aspired to replace Bhandari not only from the Congress leadership but from the leadership of the Nepalese community as a whole in the State. However, in public they fell far short of their own expectations and aspirations. They neither let Bhandari do his job nor were they able to replace him or do whatever was necessary. This was the situation before, during and after the Assembly polls in May 2004.

   By now I was convinced that Sikkim had no future under those whom I reposed so much faith and hope. “My stars have fallen,” I used to tell some of them, indicating that they had neither the capability nor the commitment to lead Sikkim to a better future. When I became increasingly aware of their lack of direction and commitment for the common cause and their constant involvement in petty politics I chose to quit politics altogether. There was no point in staying on and wasting my time in politics when even the enlightened and politically active leaders of the majority community did not share my conviction and commitment.

   Though the circumstances that I faced in June-August 2004 were different from what I experienced in mid-2000, when the Assembly seat resolution came up in the Assembly, the situation and the issues involved were very much the same. Is the Sikkimese Nepalese leadership in the State committed to preserving the distinct identity of Sikkim and the Sikkimese within the Union under Article 371F of the Constitution or is it only paying lip-services to it to win votes?

   “If freedom is humiliated or in chains today, it is not because her enemies had recourse to treachery. It is simply because she has lost her natural protector...Freedom is the concern of the oppressed, and her natural protectors have always come from the oppressed.” (Camus)

   If tomorrow I choose to brace myself for yet another long-drawn battle for the right cause I know who my natural friends and enemies are.

   And though I did not make any mention of this issue publicly when I finally quit politics and the Press these were the main factors that prompted me to hand over my resignation to the Congress party chief in the summer of 2004. Political and professional life in Sikkim have no real meaning for me if we cannot embrace all communities and unite them towards a common destiny where peace, unity, harmony, freedom, democracy and the rule of law reign supreme.

   The fact that nobody really made any serious approaches to me on these issues during my three-and-half-year-long (2004-2007) self-imposed exile proved beyond any shadow of doubt that there was nobody who really and truly cared for Sikkim and the Sikkimese people and for justice, freedom, democracy and the rule of law to triumph in Sikkim. Even those who flirted with me politically for a brief while when I re-emerged from my hideout in 2007-8 have prooved themselves to be unfaithful allies and a liability for the Sikkimese cause.

   People make choices in life and they will either succeed or suffer from the choices they make. I chose to differ, to dissent and thereby suffered from the choices I made for over a quarter of a century. My works are reflected in the pages of my books which I have been able to complete during my exile in my own homeland. I hope that the dreams that I set out to fulfill will one day be reflected in the hearts and perhaps in the works of those who believe in the righteousness of our cause.

   I have lived out my dreams. I have paid my debt.  I am a free man now.

(Ref: The Lone Warrior: Exiled in My Homeland, Jigme N. Kazi, Hill Media Publications, 2014)

 

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)

 

 

OSU favours ST status for all Sikkimese

 

   Though it has not yet taken a formal decision on the issue, the Organisation of Sikkimese Unity (OSU) has taken a serious note of the demand for Scheduled Tribes status to all bonafide Sikkimese belonging to the three ethnic communities in the State who were genuine subjects of the erstwhile kingdom.

   Presently, only the minority Bhutia-Lepchas have been enlisted in the Scheduled Tribes list as per the Scheduled Tribes Order of 1978.  The inclusion of all former ‘Sikkim Subjects’ belonging to the three ethnic groups of Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese in the State’s ST list will not only ensure peace, unity and harmony in the State but will also go a long way in improving the economic and educational welfare of bonafide Sikkimese.

   The division among Sikkimese Nepalese on caste lines not only affects political stability in the State but also endangers national security in this sensitive region. The need to restore peace, harmony and unity along the Sikkimese is the need of the day. The OSU believes that forces of disunity will hamper preservation of Sikkim’s ‘distinct identity within the Union.’

   Though the OSU favours ST status to all bonafide Sikkimese, irrespective of caste and community, it is firm on political rights concerning restoration of Assembly seats to the Sikkimese. While the OSU may prefer economic benefits and facilities to be enjoyed by all STs in the State it wants seats in the Assembly to be reserved solely for the Sikkimese on the basis of them belonging to the three ethnic groups and not on the basis of them being scheduled tribes. This is aimed at preserving the distinct identity of the Sikkimese as per the terms of the merger and Article 371F of the Constitution, which reflects provisions of the May 8 Tripartite Agreement of 1973 and Government of Sikkim Act of 1974.

   The Sikkim Newar Guthi (SNG), headed by the former Chief Secretary, Keshav Chandra Pradhan, as its President, recently urged the Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) to demand inclusion of all Sikkimese in the list of Scheduled Tribes in the State. Pradhan believes that declaration of all Sikkimese in the list of STs in the State will “reweave the fine Sikkimese fabric and bring about a trust, amity and goodwill among all sections of the community so vital in this sensitive border State.”

   In his letter, dated Sept 6 1999, to the SIBLAC Convenor, Pradhan pointed out that mutual trust and harmony in the State “was in fact the basic spirit and objective behind the Article 371F when it was initially framed.” Though the SIBLAC has not yet responded to the Guthi’s initiative the OSU has taken the matter seriously and will soon take a firm decision on this issue. It must be noted that while other social organizations kept mum, choosing to take sides with political parties during the recent elections, the Guthi took a principled stand and openly supported SIBLAC’s demand for restoration of the political rights of the minority Bhutia-Lepchas in the State.

   In response to the appeal made by SIBLAC on the seat issue, OSU leaders helped to form the Sikkimese Nepalese Apex Committee (SNAC). The OSU feels that the seat issue should now be fought jointly by both the minority and majority communities.

(Ref: Sikkim Observer, October 30, 1999.)

LIVING IN SELF-IMPOSED EXILE IN MY OWN HOMELAND     

             “Only dead fish go with the flow”

The Press Club of Sikkim conferred the “Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar 2012” award to journalist-cum-writer Jigme N Kazi at a function in Gangtok on July 17, 2012. The following is the full text of Kazi’s acceptance speech:

  

(L to R) IPR Secretary KS Tobgay, Chief Guest CK Shrestha, Sikkim Observer Editor Jigme N Kazi, Press Club Advisor CD Rai, Press Club General Secretary Joseph Lepcha and Press Club President Bhim Rawat at the Press Club of Sikkim function in Gangtok on July 17, 2012.

   Hon’ble Chief Guest, Secretary IPR, Press Club Advisor, Press Club President, distinguished guests and friends,

   On Receiving the Award: I feel very privileged to be here today to receive the Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar award from the Press Club of Sikkim on its decadal foundation year. I am told by the Press Club that it had “unanimously decided” to confer this award for my “outstanding contribution and dedication” made during the last three decades (1983-2012) in the field of journalism.

   I believe that by conferring this award to this long-time black-listed man, who is forced to live in self-imposed exile in his own homeland, the Press in Sikkim is sending a clear message to those who care to listen. And that message is loud and clear: the Press in Sikkim wants to be more free and independent and those in power and the people at large should take note of it and respect its stand.

   I enjoy doing what I do – be it eating, taking a walk or writing. I seek no reward and recognition in doing these things even if what I do benefits those around me.

   People often criticize me of being stubborn and always swimming against the tide. Let me remind them of what US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin said: “Only dead fish go with the flow.” Living with walking corpses all these years has been a very painful experience. It is better to be exiled in foreign shores than having to undergo constant suffocation at home. However, if this is the cross that I was born to bare then I must live with it whether I like it or not.

   Yes, we have more journalists and more newspapers today than when I started in this profession 30 years back. But I’m not too sure whether we are more free, objective and independent in our reporting. What is more important in life is quality, not quantity, and this also applies to the Fourth Estate, particularly when so many people depend and look up to the Press to make the right decision.

   Sikkimese Society: If we cannot uphold certain basic and fundamental values of human existence such as freedom, democracy, justice, self-respect and the rule of law we miss the opportunity that life offers to each one of us. The first indication of a society’s degeneration is when individuals live and work only for themselves. Sikkim is on the verge of being a dead and decadent society. Our constant efforts to camouflage ourselves will not work in the long run. We will be fully exposed when the time comes.

   We locals often distance ourselves from the byaparis, the business community, for encroaching into our economic and political rights and interests. Little do we realize that while they sell potatoes, tomatoes etc. we are the real byaparis. We have sold our king, our flag, our country, our distinct identity and political rights. Not content with this we are still selling our hills and valleys, our lakes and rivers, our land and people, our religion and culture, and worse of all our self-respect and dignity. Is it really worth sweating it out for such people?

   Sikkim Politics: Me and my kind have lived through this bitter period in Sikkim’s history. In our efforts to fight for the common cause we have brought down five chief ministers and made four chief ministers in the past so many years.  We did this for a good cause and without any selfish motive. We are not to be blamed if our political leadership continuously fails us and lets us down the moment they come to power.

   I took leave from the Fourth Estate at the end of the year 2000 to make my personal contribution to Sikkim politics when I was convinced that those we backed were betraying us and the issues we raised for petty considerations. Unlike many others, I could not hang around and hide myself safe and secure in a small corner when I was convinced that we were being led to a dead-end street. I left active politics after three and half years in August 2004 when I was fully convinced that I was heading nowhere and those around me were still deeply involved in petty politics. There is no future for Sikkim and the Sikkimese if our political leadership – ruling and opposition – fails to rise above mundane things and continues to mislead the people while making great promises.

   It is futile to fight for the distinct identity of Sikkim within the Union if the leaders of our larger community are not sure of who they are, whom they represent, and what they really want. Nepal’s political situation, where ethnic communities are being reduced to a minority in the land of their origin, has still not opened our eyes. This is because while our head is still not clear our heart is full of greed. When will we ever live in a place where the mind is without fear and the head is held high? When will this non-stop looting stop? Corruption has reached a point of no return. Disillusionment has set in and this seems to be irreversible. These are dangerous trends in a sensitive and strategic border State like Sikkim.

   India’s Role in Sikkim: Even if our political leadership has failed us time and again, India must live up to the expectations of the Sikkimese people. If it continues to ignore the hopes and aspirations of those who sacrificed their country so that this nation may live in peace and security there may come a day when Sikkim will become a hot-bed of international politics. We may not see that day but that day is not afar if India fails to honour its commitments made to Sikkim and the Sikkimese people during the takeover.

   The gradual dilution of our distinct identity, political rights and social harmony originates from New Delhi. The erosion of our unique and distinct cultural identity, the systematic manner in which seeds of division are sown in our social fabric, and finally the destruction caused to our fragile environment and ecology cannot and must not be easily condoned. We cannot blame our leaders only; we, too, have shamelessly become agents of division, disunity and destruction. We have sown the wind; we will surely reap the whirlwind.

   Hope and Gratitude: I’m grateful to the Press Club of Sikkim for recognizing my work and honouring me on this very special day. This is the time and the moment to renew our pledge for a strong, united, free and independent Press in the State.

   On this special day I want to remember those who have helped me in my three-decade-long career. Some of them are late Chukie Tobden, Suresh Pramar, Devraj Ranjit, Tenzing Chewang and Pema Wangchuk. I also owe a deep sense of gratitude to the Chamling Government and to those who worked or in any way associated with my printing press and publications.

   Living the way I did is a risky business and I want to say how happy and grateful I am to my wife Tsering, her parents,  and my four kids – Tashi, Yangchen, Sonam and Kunga – for letting me live my life freely and dangerously for so long.

   I hope my endeavours will light up your path and help you to bear the burden of being free and independent in a hostile climate in the days and years to come. My message to you on this day comes from Rev. Jesse Jackson: “Stand up, don’t bow! Stand up, don’t bow!”

   On Myself: French Emperor Napoleon Bonarpate (1769-1821) once said: “There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”

   I have already said “I have accepted the death of my dreams” a few years back and I stand by it.

   However, I have filed my petition in the court of Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity, to seek justice – for Sikkim, the Sikkimese people and for myself. I am still patiently waiting for the verdict. That this award should come at this time and in the name of our Presiding Deity is not only very auspicious but meaningful as well.

   Thank you all, both for this wonderful award and your determination to preserve the integrity, independence and freedom of the Press in Sikkim. (Full text published in Sikkim Observer, July 21, 2012)

I HAVE ACCEPTED THE DEATH OF MY DREAM

  “It will be too late to talk about Article 371F when battle tanks roll down Nathula pass and non-Sikkimese occupy seats of power in Mintokgang (CM’s official residence) in the near future.”

   Having retreated to my small corner – the fourth estate – after quietly bidding adieu to my two-and-half-decade-long struggle to fight for the common cause of all Sikkimese I reluctantly accepted the offer to give a piece of my mind during a day-long seminar  organized in Gangtok on January 28, 2010 by an enthusiastic group of young people who work under the banner of All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed & Unemployed Association.

   The topic was “Article 371F” – a dead horse which still needed more flogging! – and many of those who were present and actively participated in the debate-cum-discussion were distinguished personalities in Sikkim’s social, political and intellectual circles.

(L to R) Jigme N Kazi, N B Bhandari, P M Subba and K N Upreti at the seminar on Art 371F in Gangtok on Jan 28, 2010

   Anti-merger veteran and former Chief Minister and President of the Sikkim unit of the Congress party, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, was there. His former Lok Sabha MP, Pahalman Subba, often regarded as the grand-old-man of Sikkim politics, who had fallen out with both Bhandari and his former colleague, the ‘Mandal Messiah’, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, was there.

   Former Minister and senior Congress leader, Kharananda Upreti, the man who accompanied Ram Chandra Poudyal during the famous hunger strike at the lawns of the Palace in early April 1973 that led to the Indian-backed agitation, which culminated in the signing of the historic 8th May Tripartite Agreement of 1973,  ultimately leading to the ‘merger’ in 1975,  was also present.

   Among the younger politicians present at the seminar were Padam Chettri, who only very recently took over the State unit of the BJP as its President, Biraj Adhikari, President of Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP), which still demands restoration of Sikkim’s pre-merger “Associate State” status, former Communist leader and now the Convenor of Matri Bhoomi Suraksha Sanghathan, Duk Nath Nepal, and former Minister and Convenor of Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), Tseten Tashi Bhutia, who is regarded as one of the few vocal leaders of the minority Bhutia-Lepcha tribals.

   Conspicuously absent from the scene were representatives of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, which often claims that it has restored democracy and removed fear psychosis in Sikkim after Bhandari’s dictatorial rule (1979-1994). The truth is Pawan Chamling is now faced with the same charges levelled by dissidents within his ruling elite.

   Yesteryears’ ‘revolutionary’ and one of the valiant soldiers of ‘democracy’, R C Poudyal, suddenly turned ill and failed to come! With his absence Poudyal missed a great opportunity to stand side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with sons and daughters of Sikkim to save what is left in order to pass it on to the generations of Sikkimese yet to come.  Others were invited but fear of what may happen to them if they come chose not to grace the occasion.

   Let them live on hope and die in despair. There is no space for spineless walking corpses, who are neither black or white and who will surely fade away into nothingness, to mingle with honourable defenders of the Sikkimese cause during the time of crisis when the need of the hour for unity and solidarity – despite personal and political differences – has never been felt so much.

   Added to this unique and historic gathering representing the multi-faceted Sikkimese society were Nagrik Sangarsha Samiti Coordinator and prominent critic of the establishment and member of the old business community, Prem Goyal, Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) activists, Gyatso Lepcha and Mayalmit Lepcha,  former District Collector, S P Subba, and former police officer, Jiwan Pradhan.

   I not only offered my heartiest congratulations to the organizers of the 10-hour-long marathon session but also salute those who spoke out their mind and warmed our hearts and hopes. Together we made history on January 28, 2010, two days before the 28th death anniversary of the late Chogyal of Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal.

   I was certainly the odd man out as I did not belong to any political or non-political grouping. The organizers created the right mood for Sikkimese from all communities and from all walks of life to speak their heart out on an issue that is dear to them for a very long time. That the speakers – mindless of who they were and what positions they held – spoke eloquently and with conviction and emotion on a wide variety of subjects on the one-point theme – Article 371F – is indeed a rare treat for any viewers.

   With tears in my eyes and heart full of burden I made my stand clear. “I have no wish to dethrone anyone or help anyone to get the top job. This is mainly because I have gracefully and very reluctantly accepted the death of my dream,” I told the gathering.

  I made it plain that the casual and directionless manner in which the political leadership among the majority Sikkimese Nepalese tackled the Assembly seat issue in the past so many years led to the death of my dream of a united Sikkim, where all people live in perfect peace, harmony, freedom and prosperity and where the country’s security concerns were fully safeguarded.

   New Delhi ought to realize by now that security, particularly in Sikkim, depends on the loyalty of its people, not just territorial acquisition whether by force or consent.

I took a dig, as I often do when the opportunity arises, on those who often make the right noises but the wrong moves: “I quit everything when some of my friends and former colleagues who are educated, have some political experience and feel for Sikkim and the Sikkimese could not look beyond Chamling and Bhandari despite the pressing need to stand firm and pursue our common objectives.”

   I warned that activities of agents of division and disunity actively serving New Delhi, which seems least concerned about what is happening in Sikkim besides pumping huge amount of funds (and perhaps taking some back on the quiet) to its former Protectorate keeping the people perpetually drugged with power and money, will not only finish Sikkim and the Sikkimese people but greatly and surely endanger the country’s territorial integrity.

Didn’t I make it clear in my book, “Sikkim for Sikkimese – Distinct Identity Within the Union” (published in Feb 2009) why Sikkim is facing a crisis of our own making: “Phony revolutions led by fake revolutionaries and democrats have created a system that thrives on lies, deceit and corruption. We are all victims of the ‘democracy’ that we longed for in1973 and 1993.”

   We may blame the Centre for the gradual erosion of our special status and dilution of our distinct identity. But we, too, are responsible for failing to look after our long-term interests and live up to the hopes and aspirations of our people.

   My message during the seminar was sharp and incisive: “It will be too late to talk about Article 371F when battle tanks roll down Nathula pass and non-Sikkimese occupy seats of power in Mintokgang (CM’s official residence) in the near future.”

HAIL MT. HERMON: A TRIBUTE

(125^th Anniversary - 1895-2020)

LEST WE FORGET: Old Walls Hold Memories

    Before the events of Covid 19 fades into memory we need to remember three Hermonites who died in recent months. One was my teacher (Mr. John West), one a student (Christian Pariat) and the other a friend (Robin Wason).

Mr. John West passed away peacefully at around 2 a.m. at his home in Darjeeling on March 11, 2020. “He passed away of acute asthmatic attack,” according to Nina (Manidira Dam) West, who was beside him when he breathed his last. Many Hermonites were present in Darjeeling on this historic day for celebrations of Mt. Hermon School’s 125^th Birth Anniversary.

    Mr. West may have chosen to leave us on this special day for MH and the Hermonites. It would have been better if he left us after meeting us. But that was not to be so. We feel privileged to have attended his funeral on March 12 and pay our tribute and last respects.

   Mr. West taught us Chemistry but more than that he taught how to fight hard on the football field. Some of us, including myself, were in the school’s 1^st XI Football team, with Mr. West as a very strong defender. We happy many memories of our struggles, defeats and triumphs on the football field. The highlight of my footballing career was when we defeated the Indian Army’s Gorkha XI in 1971. Most of the players of the Gorkha XI were ex-footballers of Sikkim’s Kumar Sporting, the best team in the region during that period.

   On this Fathers Day (June 21, 2020) I remember and pay respects to my teacher, teammate, and father of two of my students, Mark West and Karen West. Mr. West left MH and continued his teaching career at St. Joseph’s School. But for many Hermonites Mr.West will always be remembered as one of the main pillars of our alma mater. Rest in peace, Sir.

Robin Wason was one of three kids of Mrs. B. Wason, my junior school teacher in mid-sixties and one of MH’s oldest teachers from the Stewart era (1953-1963). Robin was also the younger brother of my classmate Neena (Wason) Harkness and Hermonite and college mate in Bombay, Brij Wason.

   Robin was one of my younger football fans in school along with Brij. When he was in the navy back in the early eighties he used to come to see us in Bombay. We kept in touch ever since. I was hoping to see him again in Shillong last September during Mr. Wason’s birthday. Unfortunately, I missed it. That meant that I could never see Robin again as he passed away recently, perhaps of heart attack.

Christian Pariat (in the pix he is on my left in 1976 when I fractured my left arm during a foota match at NP) was one of my favourite students in my class (4K) in 1976 (I think!). His elder brother was Hermonite Gregory Pariat. It appears that Christian, too, died of heart attack in Shillong, his hometown.

   Christian was a very friendly and lovable child. He was very fond of me as I was of him. Rest in peace, Christian and God Bless.

Old friends are loyal friends,

Friends of happy days.

Now we must say goodbye

And go dividing ways

Breathe then your benison

On me as I depart,

I'll keep your memory

Warm in my heart.

(MESSAGE: In my forthcoming book: “Hail Mount Hermon: A Tribute”, I have not been able to include many aspects of the school and its alumni. I hope this endeavour (Facebook page: Hail Mount Hermon: A TRIBUTE) will, to some extent, make up for my lapses in the book, and also encourage Hermonites to pitch in and throw more light on the subject and pay their own Tribute to MH during its 125th anniversary year (March 11, 2020 to March 11, 2021) and thereafter)