“Have created exclusive opportunity for performing arts, not sold out creative pursuit”

NEPALI SAHITYA PARISHAD BREAKS SILENCE ON ALLEGATIONS OF HAVING SOLD OUT
GANGTOK, 03 May: The Nepali Sahitya Parishad [NSP], Sikkim, has finally broken its silence on the slew of criticism which has been directed on it following its decision to rent out its hall and another floor to the National School of Drama. The executive members, while addressing a press conference today, stressed that it was unfortunate that these criticisms were being leveled, even by the literary personalities and intellectuals who have joined issue with protests raised by political outfits, without having understood the ground realities and the benefits accruing to the State, in the creative arts field, from the renting of the premises.
The executive body commented that it was expected of the literary section to have first contacted the NSP for clarification before taking a public stand on the development. The media briefing was addressed by the NSP president, BK Roka, general secretary Jagdish Sharma and cultural secretary, Biru Bangdel.

They first clarified that the NSP has given two floors on rent for three years to NSD and not given out the property on lease as has been alleged. NSD is appointing the hall as a “world-class” theatre with training facilities, an engagement which is bound to be of benefit to the performing arts in the State, they informed.
This is the only such facility in the entire North East, they added, further informing that this unit had almost gone to Tripura and was won for Sikkim by the Nepali Sahitya Parishad.
This facility would revert to NSP after three years, when a better infrastructure will be inherited, they added.
On the allegation that the deal had be struck due to “mismanagement and corruption” in the NSP, the executive members dismissed these as the allegations of “frustrated politicians”.
They added that renting out NSP property was not being done for the first time, and pointed out that a gym continues to operate out of the property’s ground floor ever since it was given out on rent by an executive body.
We have given two floors on rent to the National School of Drama and secured a golden opportunity for youth interested in the performing arts but without a forum within the State to hone their skills, they reiterated.
They added that the NSD centre will offer diploma courses to batches of 40 every year in different aspects of drama and offer them a scholarship of Rs 4,000 per month while in training.
This, they added, was a service to the creative arts and not a sell-out as was being alleged.
As for the rental, this has been fixed at Rs 21,000 per month and will routed through the Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department, “so there is no scope for corruption”.
Now that the process of airing dirty linen in public has begun, the executive body, which has been in office for a year and a half, informed that they inherited a near-zero bank balance and an overdraft liabilities [chalked up by previous executive bodies] of Rs. 17 lakh. Savings from events and functions organized by the new executive body have shored up the financial health of the organization to around Rs. 2 lakh now, and the members stressed that they will continue working towards making the organization more vibrant and stable in the coming days.