Congress pushes ‘Karmapa to Sikkim’ proposal at Centre

GANGTOK, 16 Jan: Will the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, finally be allowed into Sikkim? There have been several attempts to get the central government to allow the 17th Karmapa into Sikkim, both by the State Government and the monk fraternity here, and the latest effort is by the State Congress unit to get their central leadership to allow the spiritual leader into the state. Following this, the Congress high command, it is informed, has okayed the proposal put up by the state Congress and placed the matter before the government of India. As a senior Congress leader informed, the matter is to be brought before the Union Cabinet for final approval.  
“The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee has put up a strong representation before the Congress high command on the matter of allowing His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa into Sikkim. They have said that it is the aspiration of the people of Sikkim to see the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje in Sikkim. The party high command is seized of the matter especially as it is the aspiration of the Sikkimese people. It has been put up to the government of India which will take a final decision on the matter considering the aspirations of the Sikkimese people. I cannot say the time frame within which the decision of GoI will be taken or when the 17thGyalwang Karmapa will visit Sikkim”, stated Luizinhi Faleiro, AICC member in-charge of Sikkim, while speaking to NOW!
He did however add that Rumtek could not be included in the list of places to be visited by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa as there was a court case underway on the matter. When contacted last, a Cabinet memo was informed to be in the process of preparation on the matter, it is informed.
“There was a Congress chief ministers’ meeting in the last week of December, 2013 in New Delhi where all 12 Congress chief ministers were present including the Home Minister, Finance Minister and Sonia Gandhi. Later, the meeting took up discussions on the Karmapa and our request to allow him to Sikkim. The discussion went on for an hour and finally all including the Home Minister agreed to allow him to visit Sikkim,” informs senior State Congress leader, Anil Lachenpa.
With all hassles seemingly cleared, there is now only the procedure of the proposal being passed by the central cabinet.
It was reportedly submitted before the Congress high command that both Rumtek and Ravangla could be kept out of the tour programme.  Rumtek, as it was still mired in a legal battle over the trusteeship of the 16th Karmapa’s properties and Ravangla, as it is the seat of Gyaltshap Rinpoche, one of the trustees. However Gyaltshab Rinpoche could meet with the Karmapa in any of the other places he is proposed to visit.