Pro-Sikkim stand led to ouster, Bhandari believes

BHANDARI TO WAIT FOR CONG HIGH-COMMAND RESPONSE TILL 24 MAY BEFORE DECIDING FUTURE COURSE OF ACTIONGANGTOK, 05 May: Former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, removed his post as the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president recently, has challenged the move as ‘unconstitutional’, contending that the oldest political party of India has violated its own constitution by evicting an elected State Chief without specifying any reasons or seeking an explanations. He also informed today that he has not been officially intimated of his removal from the post, stating that it was only through a press release issued by Janardan Dwivedi, general secretary of All India Congress Committee on 20 April, that he learned of the development.
As for the reason why he was removed from the post, Mr. Bhandari believes that it was his pro-Sikkim stand, reflected in the memorandum he submitted as the SPCC president to the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, during his recent visit to Sikkim, which led to his ouster from the post.
Addressing a press conference today, Mr. Bhandari revealed that his memorandum to the President clearly stated that the Congress-led UPA Government has violated principles of the 08 May 1973 Tripartite Agreement to protect Sikkim’s distinct identity and the spirit of Article 371 F of the Constitution of India.
When asked on his present status in the Congress, Mr. Bhandari said that he has given the party time till 24 May to “assure him and Sikkimese people in writing that the spirit of the Merger and conditions of Article 371F of the Constitution will be maintained, enforced and reverted to as it was status”. If the party’s response was not acceptable to him, he would consider himself free to take a decision on the future course of action, he said.
He said that if the Congress and the Government of India fail to honour commitments made to Sikkim and the Sikkimese people during the merger, he was ready to quit to party.
He however added, “I am ready to serve on any post and be part of the Congress if the party restores everything that has been lost since Sikkim became part of Indian Union in 1975.”

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”.