Chief Minister calls on Sonia, seeks support to resolve pending issues

GANGTOK, 06 June: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling called on UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, and offered his total support and full appreciation of her stewardship of the UPA Government which, he said, was successfully steering the Indian economy in spite of global economic recession. A press communiqué received from Principal Secretary to the CM, RS Basnet, informs that the CM also briefed Ms. Gandhi in detail development and progress taking place in the State highlighting that the 18 September Earthquake of last year had set back the tempo of development for which he sought Special Central Assistance.
Ms. Gandhi, the release informs, gave a patient hearing to the CM’s elaborate presentation and assured him of positive action from the Central Government. During the meeting, the CM also invited Ms Gandhi to inaugurate the International Flower Festival in February 2013 in Sikkim. Ms Gandhi accepted the invitation, the release informs.
The CM also sought constitutional, political and economic steps and solutions for several crucial issues facing Sikkim.
He sought the UPA Chairperson’s personal intervention to expedite the Central Government’s decision to provide reserved seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities [in light of their having been included in the Scheduled Tribes list] in the Legislative Assembly of the State. The release highlights that he stressed that the seats already reserved for the Bhutia-Lepchas not be touched while allocating seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities as Scheduled Tribes.
The CM also apprised Ms Gandhi of the need to accord Scheduled Tribe status to the left out ethnic communities of Sikkim - Kirat Khambu Rai, Gurung, Mangar, Thami, Jogi, Sanyasi, Bahun, Chettri and Newar.
“Unless this sensitive issue is not addressed on time, in a time bound manner, the situation is likely to impact the peace and tranquillity of the most peaceful State of the Nation,” the CM stressed.
Providing a background to the situation, the CM detailed that Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali were recognized as the ethnic groups of Sikkim during the monarchy and enjoyed equal seat reservation in the erstwhile National Assembly of Sikkim. Following the merger, however, while the Bhutias and Lepchas were recognised as Scheduled Tribes, the entire gamut of ethnic Nepali community of Sikkim was left out. “In the process, the Nepali speaking tribes, who were recognized by the then Chogyal as equal Subjects with due rights and recognition as other tribes became devoid of their rights and privileges vis-à-vis Bhutia and Lepcha communities,” he pointed out.
He expressed that the left-out communities had put the largest stake in the Merger and “strongly feel that they were not treated appropriately”.
“Had the leadership at that point of time [Merger and later], convinced the Government of India for inclusive action, the widespread dismay and dissatisfaction among the left-out communities and a sense of betrayal for the hopes and aspirations today, could have been avoided,” the Chief Minister informed, while calling on Ms. Gandhi to help deliver justice to the left out communities of Sikkim by securing Scheduled Tribe status for all the remaining ethnic communities of Sikkim.
Income Tax exemption for the old settlers including the members of business community of Sikkim was also discussed by the CM during the meeting.
Mr Chamling further requested for grant of a Special Package (SPA-untied) of Rs. 600 crores over and above the NDRF and Prime Minister’s Sikkim Earthquake Relief Package “as an economic kick-starter to the growth of development” of the state post the earthquake.
In conclusion, the CM offered his full support to the UPA candidates to be finalized for the country’s important offices of the President and the Vice-President.