SHRPP members shave heads to protest Public Order Bill

GANGTOK, 25 Aug: Ten members of the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party [SHRPP] shaved their heads today in protest of the Public Order Bill and marched from Nam-Nang to the Tourist Information Centre passing through MG Marg wearing placards condemning the Bill.
The Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill, it may be recalled, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 11 August. The State Government has since announced its decision to withdraw the Bill and is expected to complete the formalities on Friday when the Assembly convenes.
Addressing media persons later, the SHRPP general secretary, Tara Shrestha, informed that this gesture of his party workers was to let people know that the party was against the Public Order Bill. On 14 August, the SHRPP had burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister here in the Capital on the same issue.
“The Assembly is going to be held tomorrow and today we have again taken out a protest rally with shaved heads through MG Marg to protest the Bill and asking the government to withdraw it,” he said.
“If the Bill is passed in the Assembly then we will start another round of protest in a more aggressive manner, but if the Bill is withdrawn then we will continue with our Jan Abhiyan, which we had started on 15 July at the grassroots level,” he added.
“Actions speak louder than words and if the government does not withdraw the Bill tomorrow, then the people will see the results within two to three days,” said the SHRPP president Dr. AD Subba, while speaking to the press. “Our party does not go around shouting and sloganeering; what we do is action-based and for all the people to see,” he added.
Om Prakash Bishta, Gyalpo Tamang, Man Bahadur Rai, Dhan Bahadur Mangar, Jacob Tamang, SP Sharma, RL Ghimerey, KB Dahal, LM Subba and Suk Bahadur Subba are the ten party members who shaved their heads today.