SIBLAC voices concern over SDF resolve to increase Assembly seats to 40

DEMANDS PROPORTIONAL INCREASE IN NUMBER OF BL SEATS
GANGTOK, 09 Mar: SIBLAC has raised concerns over the resolution to demand an increase in the number of Assembly seats to 40 from 32 adopted by the ruling SDF party at its convention held at Jorethang recently. A press release issued by the SIBLAC convenor, Tseten Tashi Bhutia, contends that to demand an increase in total number of seats without proportional increase in BL seats was “unconstitutional” and “poses a serious threat to the political safeguards provided by Article 371F of the Constitution to minority Bhutia-Lepcha community in Sikkim.”
SIBLAC has underlined this issue to register its concern over the recent statement of Vice-Chairman of the National Minority Commission who, during his recent visit to Sikkim, stated on record that “minorities are safe in Sikkim”.
“It is unfortunate the person like Dr Sangliana is making such a statement without reading the inside story of Sikkim. Such statement is likely to create deep mis-impression in the minds of people outside Sikkim who are sympathetic to the cause of minority in Sikkim,” the release states.
Some of the leaders of SIBLAC including its convenor Mr Bhutia are currently camped in New Delhi to represent what the organisation sees as the “feeling of political insecurity” arising in the wake of SDF party’s resolution. SIBLAC will soon be approaching national political organisations soliciting their support to its demand.
Although it is positive that BL electorates have been given the opportunity to elect their own representatives but in actual terms BL representatives are not elected simply by the BL votes but by non-BLs who are in majority in the reserved BL constituencies, the release states.
The release goes on to state that besides political insecurity, “the National Commission for Minorities must recognise that land, identity and religious heritage form the core political issues of minority Bhutia-Lepcha people that need to be addressed by Government of India without any delay”.