SKM takes up students’ protest issues with Governor

GANGTOK, 18 July: A delegation of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha MLAs led by their party president PS Tamang [Golay] called on the Governor today at Raj Bhawan here to take up various issues related to the recent students protest here.
A press communiqué received from Mr. Tamang informs that the delegation argued that the lathicharged on the college students was unprovoked and illegal. They further contended that due to use of such force on a peaceful protest of the students led to an eruption of violence in the state and even after the situation had normalized, the police were still arresting people and torturing them.
The delegation has demanded immediate legal action against guilty officials involved in the lathicharge and also submitted an independent report on the incident and unedited video of the entire incident, the release states. The release informs that the delegation also informed the Governor of reports that the students were pressurized into signing an agreement with HRDD on 16 July.
After listening to the delegation, the Governor expressed deep concern on the student protests and arrests and assured to take full information on these from the concerned officials, the release contends.
The release further informs that after returning from Raj Bhawan, a meeting of SKM MLAs and senior members of the party, PT Gyamtso, TN Dhakal and Bikash Basnet, was held under the presidentship of Mr. Tamang and discussed the students protest and passed a resolution to support all efforts to maintain peace to bring back normalcy in the state. On the basis of this resolution, the SKM party has appealed the people of Sikkim to keep the peace series in the state.