CM launches Sikkim Studies programme at Jamia Millia Islamia

CHAMLING DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON “REGIONAL PARTIES AND THEIR EFFICACY IN ADVANCING NATION BUILDING”
NEW DELHI, 25 April [IPR]: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was at the Jamia Millia Islamia today where he delivered the keynote address on “Regional Parties and their efficacy in advancing Nation Building” and also launched the Sikkim Studies Programme at the university. [turn to pg 2 for complete keynote address]
Prof. Najeeb Jung, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, in his introductory remarks, accepted that knowledge about Sikkim as well as the north eastern states has been rather sketchy and expressed hope that the Sikkim Studies Programme at his institute would improve knowledge on Sikkim.
The Vice Chancellor requested the Chief Minister to depute one Professor, Reader or Lecturer from Sikkim to the University so that the Studies Series program could be further strengthened. The Vice Chancellor further said that “something different” was happening in Sikkim that all must know about this and that the Sikkim Studies Programme would assist in this understanding.
Summing up the day’s session, Sanjoy Hazarika, Director, Centre for NE Studies, appreciated the suggestion of the Chief Minister to substitute the word ‘Sindh’ with ‘Sikkim’ in the National Anthem, which, he said, would be another contribution of the people of the State to the entire nation. This, he stressed, should be taken note of by one and all.

Addressing a select group of invited intelligentsia, PhD students and the media from the capital and the NE Region, the Chief Minister said that regional parties were best suited to address and resolve regional development and other such issues relating to the development of area-specific regions thus fulfilling the aspirations and hopes of the people of the State.
This, he explained, has been his view evolved from being at the helm of affairs for a long period in Sikkim. Regional parties have great advantage in leveraging and innovating measures for the development of the people of that State. This, in itself, has been effectively helping towards the overall development of the nation, he said.
The Chief Minister further held forth that Sikkim has given a new definition to the concept of border state by promoting peace, communal harmony, security, growth and development in the state which has been kept free of insurgency, disturbance and terrorism; these, he said, were epitomes of the State’s contribution to the overall peace and development scenario to the entire country.
Later, while interacting with the audience, he spoke on the maintenance and steps taken by his government on ecology through the flagship programs of harit kranti, green missions, 10 Minutes to Earth, plantation on road reserves as well in the reserve forest etc. towards further greening the state and keeping more than 85 percent of the land under forest cover intact to ensure fresh water reserve for the entire country as sacrifices made by the state for lowland states and the entire country.
“In fact, the efforts of the state in this direction needs to be supplemented by the entire country and the central government,” he said, while adding that the people of Sikkim lived alongside defence forces guarding the frontiers which was another example of sacrifice of the people of the State.
Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, also spoke on the occasion. While introducing the Chief Minister to the audience, he said that the fourth term Chief Minister has been providing “thought leadership” to transform the socio-economy of the State. He said that the program on Sikkim Studies would bridge help bridge the information gap.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by both the MPs, Mr. Rai and OT Lepcha, Principal Secretary to CM, RS Basnet, and Principal Resident Commissioner.