Sikkim Bandh concludes successful and in relative peace

PURAN TAMANG
NAMCHI, 05 April: The Sikkim Democratic Front sponsored 48-hour Sikkim Bandh for 04 and 05 April was successfully observed across the State with all business establishments, schools and banks remaining closed. Barring a few instances in which the bandh enforcers had arguments with the management at some establishments and minor stand-offs at some pockets, the bandh remained peaceful with neighbourhoods emptying out into the roads which became playgrounds for the young across the State.
Police officials confirmed that while no serious outbreak of violence was reported, there were minor incidents in which picketers deflated the tyres of some vehicles [not in the exempted category] which were found plying during the bandh.

The South district administration deployed officials across the district to ensure that there was no breakdown of the law and order situation for want of administrative presence.
The South District Collector, AK Singh, deputed officials on magisterial duty for 04 and 05 April. On 4th, SDM Headquarter Yangchen Tamang was stationed at Jorethang covering Majhhitar, while SDM Namchi, Annapurna Alley, was stationed at the NHPC site near Singtam covering Mamring and Temi Tarku.
Similarly, ADC South, SL Rai, was at Namchi covering the Namthang area and Assistant Collector [South] RK Yadav at Melli covering Manpur and SDM Ravangla PK Rai at Ravangla Sub Division covering Hingdam NHPC area while BDOs of Temi, Namthang and Sumbuk were empowered with special Executive Magisterial powers in their respective jurisdictions, including the additional areas attributed to them.
Similarly, SDPO HQ, BB Subba, was the over all in-charge in South District and SP West Rajiv Ranjan also visited the district as he was looking after the South District in the absence of SP South.
Among the incidents reported during the bandh was one in Melli, South Sikkim, yesterday, where Nuk Tshering Bhutia [“Melli Sonam”] complained that his house was stoned by bandh supporters and some window panes broken. SDF supporters on the other hand counter that he, along with his relatives, had tried to obstruct the SDF rally. Before anything can serious could happen, Melli Police personnel led by PI Bijoy Subba intervened and ensured that things did not go out of hand.
Sources inform that the police has registered a case against both parties and begun investigations.
Meanwhile, in East district, arguments resulting from “miscommunication” broke out at the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences [Gangtok] and a pharmaceutical unit near Rangpo. None was however serious enough to lead to a formal police complaint.
In Gangtok yesterday, a group of SDF supporters are reported to have created at scene at the SMIMS Vice-Chancellor’s office here at the Central Referral Hospital complex. Sources inform that the situation had become quite heated when the bandh enforcers thought that the administrative section at the medical college was not observing the bandh. The VC was challenged, a lot of table-banging ensued, but the situation, it is informed, not allowed to deteriorate beyond this.
Sikkim Police personnel were deputed to the spot and remain stationed at the main gates yesterday. Today was calmer and even the police detail withdrawn.
Sources also inform that a confrontation was also reported from a pharma-unit near Rangpo where the bandh supporters challenged the management when they found a generator under operation there, leading them to believe that the unit was not observing the bandh. This generator, it is reported, was kept working to preserve the manufactured stock at the unit.
SDF supporters across the State took out rallies in their respective areas carrying placards announcing their demands and raising slogans. While sizeably participated in, these processions were not aggressive and created no worries for the law & order personnel posted along their routes.
Here in South Sikkim, a Power & Energy Department official was reportedly roughed up yesterday when he was driving around town and was confronted by bandh enforcers. In this case as well, no complaint was lodged.
At Nandugaon, under Poklok-Kamrang constituency in South Sikkim, one private vehicle was stopped by two SDF supporters and directed no to ply. The tyres were deflated to ensure this.
As per reports, bandh supporters from Ben-Namphing went down to the NHPC Stage V power station site near Sirwani in South Sikkim and asked the power company to shut down the turbines on the first day of the strike, but the company denied to do so. This did not however lead to any confrontation and today, it is informed, the turbines were also shut down in observance of the bandh.
The bandh, it may be recalled, apart from reiterating Sikkim’s demands still pending with the Centre [like Income Tax exemption for left-out communities, seat reservation for Limboo and Tamang communities who have now become Scheduled Tribes etc], is to demand that private sector establishments in Sikkim abide by the MoU signed with the State Government guaranteeing preference of local candidates in employment.