SKM accuses CM of making unconstitutional statement

DISTORTED AND QUOTED OUT OF CONTEXT, COUNTERS MP PD RAI
GANGTOK, 27 July: Shyari MLA of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party, Kunga Nima Lepcha, has condemned the statement reportedly made by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling at Yangang, South Sikkim recently, terming it “senseless, un-parliamentary and unconstitutional”.
The CM, in his address, had allegedly announced all-out development for certain areas and complete neglect of other areas of the state. Referring to news reports of the function in South Sikkim and the CM’s address, the SKM MLA has said that all local newspapers have published the news which confirms the CM's statement. Further, the CM's backtracking from his own statement later reflects the "current decaying state of affairs", Mr Lepcha alleges.
The MLA has also alleged that there is "policy-conflict or mal-functioning" within the SDF government. He states that on 24 June when SKM legislators raised the issue of preserving the sanctity of Article 371 F in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister had said that raking the subject of Article 371 F time and again would weaken the Sikkimese society. On the contrary, the SDF's Lok Sabha MP, two days ago was reported to have sought tax exemption for old settlers of Sikkim on the basis of Article 371 F of the Constitution, alleges the SKM MLA.
The CM and his functionaries are speaking in different tongues while circulation of government notifications and its immediate roll back has become the order of the day. This, Mr Lepcha states, is only confusing the employees, students and general public of the state.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai has said that the SKM party's allegations are an "exercise in distorting reality" and another attempt by SKM to obfuscate the issue of Article 371F to further their vested interests.
The MP has contended that the CM's simple thanks to the people of South and West Districts for reposing their faith in Sikkim Democratic Front for a record fifth term has been distorted and quoted out of context. Further stating that his words have also been distorted, Mr Rai has stated that Mr Lepcha has not understood the Chief Minister's words or his.
Instead, the MP has asked the SKM MLA to clarify if he is against Income Tax exemption for old settlers of Sikkim.

SKM accuses West SP of biased policing

GANGTOK, 24 Jan: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha has accused the West District Superintendent of Police of political bias in discharging his duties.
An SKM press release issued today alleges that first the SP ensured that no action was taken on an FIR filed by SKM’s Sanchabir Subba at Kaluk thana, and then followed it up by taking an SKM leader Topzang Bhutia in custody over a trivial issue.
The release contends that the FIR in Kaluk Thana was against SDF’s Avinash Yakha and accused him of attacking SKM party workers in Bermiok on 21 January. When no follow-up action was initiated, SKM took out a protest rally when Mr. Bhutia was stopped on charges of driving an overloaded vehicle.
The release contends that instead of just challaning Mr. Bhutia for the alleged traffic violation, he was dragged to the lock-up and assaulted. Agitated SKM supporters gheraoed the thana and it was only when the party’s Gyalshing constituency in-charge arrived that tempers were eased. The release adds that an FIR has been lodged with SDM against the SP and rues that no action has been taken yet on their complaint.
The party goes on to level a series of allegations against its former colleague, Avinash Yakha, who is now in the SDF and was victim of an assault on 22 January. SKM contends that Mr. Yakha was the instigator of the violence and maintains that its youth leader Roshan Pradhan has been falsely implicated in the incident.
In this connection, the SKM release goes on to question the police raid on Orange Village Resort yesterday which led to the arrest of two Nepal nationals employed there without valid documents along with Mr. Pradhan’s father, Chin Kazi Shrestha. Accepting that employing foreign nationals without valid documents would attract police action, the release questions why this is being implemented exclusively on opposition sympathizers and was never invoked in the past.

SKM accuses SDF of stone pelting in West Sikkim 3 SKM PARTY WORKERS INJURED, THREE ACCUSED TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

GANGTOK, 25 Nov: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha has accused the Sikkim Democratic Front party workers of grievously injuring SKM members in a stone-pelting incident that occurred on Sunday in West Sikkim.
SKM has condemned the attack and termed the incident as an attempt by the ruling party to suppress people’s voice.
An SKM release alleges that SDF workers pelted stones at SKM members from above the road near Som basti while they were returning from the Mangalbaria meeting. SKM’s Wangdi Lepcha was critically injured while Megnath Basnett and Manorath Dahal also sustained injuries, the release states.
Wangdi Lepcha has sustained serious head injuries and is under treatment at STNM Hospital in Gangtok, it is stated.
Following the stone pelting incident, SKM workers gheraoed the Kaluk Police Station this morning where an FIR against the incident had been filed last night and the accused reportedly taken into custody. SKM has accused the Maneybong Dentam MLA and he close ally of masterminding the attack.
Meanwhile, Kaluk police has arrested three persons on the basis of the FIR, it is informed.