SPCC’s chances of bringing Karmapa to Sikkim dwindle

GANGTOK, 18 Feb: The confidence of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee to bring the 17^th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, to Sikkim is low with the chances of this happening virtually over for now. The Congress high command, as informed by sources, has conveyed that this may not be possible before the elections.

An SPCC delegation, led by their president, KN Lepcha, is informed to have met with the State Congress in-charge, Luizinho Faleiro in New Delhi on 17 February. A few weeks ago, while talking to NOW!, Mr Faleiro had informed that the proposal of the state unit of the Congress to bring the Karmapa to Sikkim had been forwarded to the government of India for further action.

However, on 17 February, when it is informed that the state Congress leaders had a meeting with Mr Faleiro, they were told that this may not be possible at least not before the general elections were over.

This will be seen as a setback to the state Congress which had invested much hope into their campaign to bring the 17^th Karmapa to Sikkim, claiming to having won this permission and staking exclusive credit for the development. During the latest meeting with Congress high command, it is informed that the State Congress leadership had also taken along a delegation of monks to New Delhi in order to impress upon the party high command the urgency of the desire of the people of Sikkim to see the Karmapa in Sikkim. 

It had earlier been publicized by the SPCC that the central party leadership had agreed to their proposal to allow the Karmapa into Sikkim; the virtual about-turn by the central party leadership would come as a rude shock particularly this electoral season. However the SPCC leaders are informed to still be trying their luck with an appointment scheduled for today with the UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi in which the monk delegation is likely to be present.