“In Sikkim, people reign supreme and democratic decorum prevails uninterrupted”
Democratic re-awakening- post 1994
Respected fellow Sikkimese
You are aware that post 1994 era in Sikkim marked a clear departure from the past both in terms of gradual lifting of political uncertainty, guarantee unfettered democratic freedom and giant leap forward in the socio-economic development of the State.
In order to lend complete meaning to our integration and follow the Constitution both in letter and spirit, the Sikkim Democratic Front Party and the Government has made unprecedented sacrifices over the decades. December 12, 1994 marked the watershed in the political history of Sikkim. On being sworn in as the Head of Government, I instantly announced that I am the first servant of the people and that I belonged to no political party and that safety and well being of all people including the opposition leaders was my full responsibility.
My friends, I started a new thought process to promote democratic principles in a different light and from a new perspective in the context of decency in public life, promises being fulfilled or unleashing of development era. Over the decades, this has helped re-kindle the values and idealism that inspired our forefathers and elders to seek for democracy culminating on this day in the seventies.
For a comprehensive and holistic development of the State, we have initiated large number of programs cutting across development sectors and in the process created many unique and the first-of-its-kind schemes in the interest of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people.
In the priority sector like education and health we have introduced many innovative programs including meritorious Scholarship and Special scholarship, interest free educational loan. National Institute of Technology has been established at Ravangla, new Colleges at Namchi and Rhenock started. Another Degree College is being established in North District, Post Graduate course has been introduced in Law College, Limboo, Bhutia and Lepcha languages are being taught upto Graduate level since 2000.
Under Health sector, the State Government was the first Government to provide for free Hepatitis B vaccination for children between 0-1 age group. Over the decades, we have launched many health programs like Mukhya Mantri Jeewan Raksha Kosh, Mukhya Mantri Sravan Shakti Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Netra Jyoti Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Antodaya Upachar Bima Yojna, Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim (CATCH) to provide for comprehensive health coverage reaching right up to the doorsteps of the poor and the needy. The ambitious 570 bedded super specialty Hospital at Sichey shall be completed within the next two years.
Under Social Justice, we have introduced large number of safety nets. Bhujel, Dewan, Gurung, Jogi, Kirat Rai, Manger, Sunuwar, Thami, communities recognized as Most Backward Classes in 2000; Bahun, Chettri, Newar, Sanyasi, communities recognized as Other Backward Classes at the State level in year 2000-01; Old Age Pension raised to 600 to 1000 per month, special residential schools for the differently-abled, Samajik Sewa Bhatta introduced for faith healers, free ration for senior citizens etc.
In the area of women empowerment, Sikkim has already accomplished path-breaking measures by offering affirmative share to our womanfolks. Through certain preferential legislation, we have been able to ensure equitable participation of our women members in diverse areas including state administration and political decision making bodies. 30 percent of seats in government employment is reserved for woman and 50 percent in panchayati raj institution. Unlike in the past, women have been adequately represented in State Legislative Assembly and the State Cabinet. That means, over the decades, through our own policy intervention we have totally demystified false ideas that handicapped women and their development for centuries together.
Under Panchayati Raj, we have village panchayats and urban municipal bodies actively working in the interest of the State as provided under 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution. Under the bottoms-up approach, the State Government receives development projects as passed and ratified by gram sabhas. This has enlarged people’s participation and a sense of ownership has been developed in all social assets being created in village areas. A holistic development plan has been drawn up under the Village Development Action Plan being prepared in consultation with Prof. Bernard Dafflon, Professor in Fribourg University in Switzerland.
In order to bring about revolution in urban renewal measures, the State Government has drawn up perspective urban plans so that available urban utilities are evenly distributed in all parts of urban habitation. Ever since, the re-laid MG Marg has served as a benchmark for urban expansion plan. We have started work to transform all urban markets in the same fashion like that of MG Marg, Gangtok and the Central Park in Namchi. In fact, we were the first State in the NE region to lay passenger ropeway from Deorali to Tashiling Secretariat to ease urban traffic congestion. We have hired consultancy from Surbana International of Singapore to locate or relocate urban facilities on the basis of city-state concept.
As a Himalayan State, environment conservation is our foremost responsibility. While we provide environmental security and water security, we have limited elbow space left for development options as are generally available with the mainland states. This means, we have to find a middle path to appropriately balance development imperative with that of environmental conservation. From the very beginning, we have tried to bring about mass awareness among people about our responsibility. As a result, we have been able to ban number of activities detrimental to the health of eco-system. We have imposed blanket ban on killing of wildlife. We are the only State in the world to ban grazing in reserved forest. Felling of green trees is banned and felling of one tree from private land holdings for bona fide use, should be compensated by planting 50 more trees, all roads would be transformed into eco-road with large number of avenue plantation. These are, part of, a large number of other environmental protection measures undertaken by the State Government to maintain our ecological balance.
Way back in 1995, we observed the year as Harit Kranti Vasha. Subsequently, we undertook many green campaign including Smriti Van, Sikkim Green Mission and the Ten Minutes to Earth. We have created Biodiversity Park, Birds’ Sanctuary and Herbal Gardens across the State. Environment conservation forms part of our continuous commitment and conservation comes first when we embark on any development program. We were also voted as the Greenest Chief Minister of India in 1999 for our comprehensive green initiatives and where all our green indices have improved over the decades since 1995.
We are rich in natural resources and this must form the backbone of our development, the sure foundation for our progress and prosperity. Every State and every Nation relies on its available resources to design appropriate development intervention both for short term gain and long-term benefit. Our neighbour Bhutan is an example where they have harnessed their hydro-power potential as the main source of revenue.
We are aware that in Sikkim we find five wonderful climatic zones within a distance of 114 km from South to North. This way we are truly blessed by Nature. We have the third highest mountain range of the world, different mesmerising peaks and mountains, glaciers, valleys, different species of floral and faunal wealth. Therefore, we have designed our development models on the basis of huge natural resources and judicious harnessing with conservation uppermost in our mind. Hydro-power, eco-tourism, floriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry, small scale clean industrial ventures are some of our strengths that we seek to harness.
You are aware that eco-tourism with all other aspects like village tourism, homestay tourism etc. have been properly integrated with pilgrimage tourism through opening up of different heritage sites with man-made attraction based on faiths and belief of the people. Tallest statue of Guru Rimpoche, Siddheswara Dham, Buddha Park, Statue of Chen regiz together with development of Ramayana Busty at Barang, Shakti Sthal at Mungrang, Kali Mandir, Siddhivinayak Mandir and prayer tower etc. are indication that Sikkim has already occupied a prominent place in the tourism circuit in the Country.
Based on analysis as on today, the hydro-power potential is estimated to be of the order of 8000 MW, which may further go up if generation capacity is further assessed and accounted for all mini and micro potential available with us in Sikkim. If we keep our commitment above petty political upmanship and not linked to unfounded sentiment and emotional blackmail tactics, we can together harness hydro-power to its full potential and make Sikkim economically sound and stable.
In fact, hydro-power sector has truly launched an industrial revolution in the State of Sikkim. Hailed as the "Temples of Resurgent India" by our first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's dams have helped provide water and electricity to millions of citizens. Some of the biggest dams in India include the Tehri Dam, Bhakra Dam, Hirakud Dam, Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Indirasagar Dam, Bhavanisagar Dam and Reservoir, the Koyna Hydroelectric Project, Idukki Dam and the Mettur Dam.
Our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, while addressing people in 1948 had said, “If you are to suffer, you should suffer in the interest of the Country." This was in relation to fear of displacement caused by Hirakund Dam. In Sikkim also, we decided to harness our water resources for the welfare of State and the Nation through hydro-power generation. On a rough estimate we have plans to generate over 5000 MW by the next 3-5 years, thereby contribute an annual Rs. 1500 crores into state exchequer. And in our case, we will have only seven houses displaced while developing the entire projects with a very handsome rehabilitation package. However, there are illogical and unfounded fears being fanned by vested interest group who are neither ready to see reasons nor ready to listen to patriotic appeal made by Pandit Nehru himself.
In order to provide gainful employment to the growing numbers of educated Sikkimese, the State Government has started Directorate of Capacity Building, Institute of Capacity Building in the State and one Livelihood School in every constituency. This is with a view to train our people for diversified trade and occupation from carpentry to aviation industry. Generally, our regular educational system produces children with formal certificates although without any marketable skills, skills that enable our children to compete in a global economy.
Therefore, we have today about 2000 trainees undergoing different training courses in the State including in ITIs and the placement record over the years has been very encouraging. The State Government has future plan to train another 17000 youths in the next two years. Many of our trained manpower are gainfully employed in 5-star hotels including in mainland China. I would like to recall that Singapore alone needs 30,000 immigrants every year to keep its economy moving. Apart from diversified training programs, we also promote our younger generation into different sporting fields like football, archery, boxing etc. Our boys and girls are already placed in a number of reputed national and international clubs.
The Sikkim Democratic Front government has surely and steadily brought about this political cleansing where the power of people reign supreme and decency and democratic decorum prevails uninterrupted. On the basis of your continued support and blessings since 1994, I have had the privilege of working with a number of Prime Ministers belonging to different political parties. Beginning with late PV Narasimha Rao, I have worked closely with Shri HD Deva Gowda, Shri Chandra Shekher, Shri IK Gujral, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and presently with Dr. Manmohan Singh. With all of them, I have maintained a very cordial relation and collectively worked in the interest of state and the nation. On this occasion, I pay tribute to late PV Narasimha Rao for his great service to the nation. I am equally thankful and deeply indebted to all other Prime Ministers for their support and assistance to us.
Similarly, I have also worked closely with a number of Governors who have been very kind and supportive to the State Government. I offer my thanks and sense of gratefulness to all of them for the guidance and support provided to us all these years. At present we are privileged to be guided by His Excellency, respected Shri BP Singhji, who besides being the Head of the State, is also a distinguished scholar and a well known historian.
As part of social tradition that we started, we have today honoured a number of Sikkimese people who have rendered valuable service to the people of Sikkim. I would congratulate all of you for this outstanding achievement and for being the torch bearers. In the making of modern Sikkim, you have made great contribution. This is an act of recognizing your long service and whatever you have achieved will remain in the memory of all Sikkimese for all time to come. You are history makers, and I appeal to you to continue to shoulder greater responsibility for the future of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people. You will guide the coming generation and offer constructive suggestions and advice to Government for taking up various development schemes and welfare measures in the future.
We understand that material prosperity alone will not make Sikkim as the best State of the Country. There must be progress in terms of knowledge and scientific temperament. There must be development in terms of people’s thinking propensity promoting a positive outlook among the citizens. We must forever promote peace and a sense of security. The people of Sikkim must continue to live with due respect and dignity as Indians. They must be prepared to shoulder their duties and responsibility in greater measures as much as they enjoy their rights and privileges as democratic citizens. As the first servant of the Sikkimese people, I have been working very hard to secure to the people ultimate happiness and perfect socio-cultural existence.
The challenges imminent:
In a borderless world where ideas and fashion move free and unhampered, Sikkim is increasingly vulnerable to outside influence. In this global world, we see negative factors influence our life like that of culture of consumerism. I mean consumerism not only in respect of material goods and production, but consumerism also in respect of negative thinking, harmful feeling and undesirable habits and culture that we tend to imitate and imbibe from the outside world.
We are already consumers with regard to First World influence that include threat of AIDS, drug abuse, illegal human trafficking. And it has been our sincere endeavour over the last two decades to keep Sikkim free from negative influence so that the State is not converted into a dumping ground of alien culture and devastating human habit found elsewhere in the world. This is time, that we encourage our people to imbibe the goodness of the first world society and learn from the strength that they have gained due to positive qualities and positive output. Today and now, let us define the threshold and stop imitating them blindly but go on to learn from their qualities.
With the same objective, we have to devise appropriate and socially relevant and culturally enriching development roadmap to ensure that we imbibe good qualities and grow on our own strength and not get destroyed because of influx of negative factors acting upon our society.
While the world is passing through a period of uncertainty, Sikkim has remained consistent as a democratic State to promote collective wellbeing of its citizens. Further empowered by the enlightened ideas of the modern age, we at the same time, protect our civilizational legacy of mutual brotherhood, respect and co-existence and a peaceful society. Recent development across the world quite clearly demonstrates people’s inborn dreams of living a life of dignity and their longing for self determination and self rule. On the other hand, Sikkim and the Sikkimese people made free by the historical event of the seventies are marching forward as the most promising citizens of the Country and also the world.
In fact, we have remained the catalysts and shining example in exercising our democratic rights and also uphold democratic principles as envisaged and inherent in the basic understanding of Democracy as an institution of the people.
The people of Sikkim must not forget that time prior to 1994, where there was widespread culture of head hunting, with leadership ever committed to finish anyone or anybody with courage enough to oppose the then establishment. We have discouraged this trend and stopped it altogether granting honourable space for one and all. The present generation of Sikkimese are not adequately aware of what Sikkim used to be in the past. That is why in majority of cases, they are not in a position to arrive at any objective judgement to differentiate today from yesterday- both in terms of socio-cultural prosperity and the huge infrastructural development.
Today we have fully established a conducive atmosphere for self-development and broader space to contribute towards progress and prosperity of the State.
Sikkim used to be generally considered far from the mainstream. To further compound the issue, many of our leaders in the past, fanned anti-India sentiment to garner support for their own selfish motive. And mainstream in India is often linked up with the national capital. We sincerely feel that the basic understanding of mainstream in India is wrongly perceived. Over a period of time, I have consistently raised this issue at the national forums duly coining it as ‘reverse integration’. As part of our continued efforts, I also called upon the countrymen to replace the term ‘Sindh’ in our national anthem by Sikkim to honour the changed scenario and the altered situation. This way, Sikkim has always tried to strengthen spirit of nationalism and a sense of integration with the Indian states and fellow Indians.
Although integrated with the mainstream 28 years later, Sikkim has emerged as the front-ranking State in the Country. All the four organs of governance are fully independent to function as per constitutional provisions. As I often say, all the organs and democratic institutions came into being for the interest of people and to serve the collective interest of the Nation at large. However, in Sikkim there are certain interest groups trying to misuse democratic instruments for their selfish motives in the garb of politics, caste, fundamental rights, freedom of press and expression and in the name of social organizations. Similarly, in majority of cases, RTI and PIL are misused for personal gains and as blackmail tactics. Certain opposition leaders, long discarded by the people and consigned to the pages of history, are using them as political weapons to destroy the good image of the Government. Through false representation and fabricated papers, they seek to mislead the Honourable Courts on multiple occasions. This is outright misuse of Democracy and this does not augurs well for the growth and promotion of democratic values and democratic atmosphere in the State. For a civilized society, this is a matter of deep worry and constant reflection.
I personally feel that today the standard of politics and the process of electioneering, have greatly degenerated- looking more like a personal agenda. In genuine case, people must always win and the country must always prosper under the democratic system. Today what we see is increasing case of politics being played out as personal blame game, character assassination, vendetta, mud-slinging and name calling of the most depraved nature. This has put the image of the whole state and the country at great risk. As per my understanding, politics must be practised as an intellectual, clean and decent game. This will lead to healthy competition among political parties to prove themselves better than the others or more resourceful than others to serve the collective welfare of the people, State and the Nation. And I am sure that this is absolutely necessary to bring about change in our thought process on this line, to give justice to people and the Country. People discuss reforms on various subjects like social reforms and economic reforms. However, foremost we require reforms in politics and political philosophy for all other reforms to bear fruits in our society. Time has come to think about it seriously to bring about desired changed in our basic understanding of politics as the mother of all philosophies.
As true democrat, I have found it my dharma to forever serve the cause of democracy and serve the people for their upliftment. I intend to draw a clear distinction between leading a movement for socio-cultural emancipation and of course leading a government for the overall development of the State and of the people. Therefore, as long as I lead the government, I would function as per constitution to do my best in the service of the people and the Nation. However, as person leading a movement, I shall continue to speak for the welfare of the people and continue to work for their overall development. I am not one of those, who would promise a life of sanyas on losing an election or a life of Hitler on winning it!
I am confident that while the Country commemorated the 60th anniversary of Indian Parliament recently, the countrymen and the policy makers would find our experiences worth emulating to further the cause of democracy and the democratic polity. Stressing on the basic principles of tolerance and pluralism, the central leaderships emphasized on commonality and inclusion rather than superiority and exclusion, dialogue and reconciliation rather than conflict of interest. As a historical decision, the Sikkimese people also decided to merge into the Indian mainstream thereby strengthen integrity, sovereignty, pluralism and socio-cultural diversity of the Indian Nation. Due to great sacrifices we made, we also enjoyed the great fortune of becoming the proud citizens of this great nation.
It is said that Government is the force of good not only force. And I find it my rare privilege to lead the government that do good for the people and work in the collective interest of the people at large. I send my greetings to my fellow citizens and commend them for this peaceful rise evident in the maturity of our economy, socio-cultural strength and all round development.
My fellow citizens, in few months time now, we will again come together to celebrate the great democratic tradition to hold the next Panchayat elections in the State. I would call upon the Sikkimese people to fully participate in the elections to chose their representatives with due care and consultation.
I am aware that my political adversaries are hinting at new political equation. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, once asked, “You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” By the same token, I am happy to know that I have at least some to keep me alert and creative in the interest of the people.
Under the democratic dispensation, anything constitutional is possible and admissible. We must welcome them. But we cannot and should not remain mute spectators when certain group of people take freedom for granted to sow the seeds of discord and disharmony by their irresponsible words and actions and who chose to dishonour elected government formed with full public mandate.
On this auspicious occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Sikkim for the love and blessings given to me. Humbled by the processes inaugurated on May 16, 1975 and all the democratic provisions inherent in the spirit of our Constitution, I for one, will always work for the collective welfare of the people of the State and never ever fail my Constitution, never betray my State and my Nation.
Today, I would like to remember the great work accomplished by late Tashi Tshering and late LD Kazi, Father of Democracy in Sikkim, and pay rich tribute to their rare contribution. On this auspicious occasion, I would like to recognize and name late Tashi Tshering as the First Democratic Soldier and take this rare privilege to announce installation of life-size statue in his memory. To honour all other contemporary democratic workers, I take pleasure to inform that a Book on their lives, struggle and their contribution shall be published to make them immortal for posterity.
With these words, I once again offer my warm greetings to the fellow Sikkimese and also congratulate them once again for the historical decision to be part of this great democratic Nation.
Jai Sikkim
Jai Hind
[concluded]
