Former panchayat challenges Minister’s claims on Singling incident

GANGTOK, 27 March: A former Panchayat, Jacob Khaling, has rejected the statement issued by Road & Bridges Minister, RB Subba, as “very unfortunate”, alleging that the Minister cannot deny his involvement in the Singling outburst of violence.
A press release issued by Mr. Khaling demands that it the Minister give his clarification to the police and to the courts and not to the media. He has further demanded to know why the state police was delaying in effecting the arrest of the Minister in connection with the Singling incident.

Mr. Khaling has also challenged the Minister’s allegation that former area MLA, PS Tamang, now representing Burtuk in the Assembly, instigated the violence, pointing out that Mr. Tamang had campaigned in Chakung-Soreng constituency [where Singling is located] in the last Assembly elections on Mr Subba’s behalf.
The release further argues that if the Minister was so convinced of Mr. Tamang’s role in the incident, then why did he not reflect it in his FIR.
Mr. Khaling has also challenged the claim that Mr. Tamang was disgruntled because he had not been included in the Cabinet of Ministers, by claiming that if post and position were so important for Mr. Tamang, he would not have resigned from the Chairman’s post as he recently did.
He has demanded that Mr. Subba tender his resignation on moral grounds.