Celebrating Rai culture, achievers and Sikkimese unity with Sakewa in Namchi

CM INVITES PEOPLE TO SUBMIT MORE COMPLAINTS THAN DEMANDS DURING HIS SIKKIM TOUR
PURAN TAMANG
NAMCHI, 23 May: “Festivals of all communities of the State have been provided special recognition in the last 17 years of the SDF Government and this should be seen as a cultural revolution which has made space for every community to celebrate its identity,” said Chief Minister Pawan Chamling while addressing the Sakewa celebration held here at Bhaichung Stadium today.
The Chief Minister took a day’s break from his frenetic 40-day tour of Sikkim to attend the celebrations. He has completed six days of touring through rural South Sikkim and resumes his road trip from Tuesday onwards. The hectic travelling which has the CM interacting with rural folk in at least six villages on an average per day, puts a tremendous strain as officials accompanying him have shared, and the CM commented that even he was not feeling in the best of health.
The CM underlined that although his detractors have alleged that allowing expression to individual communities has divided Sikkim, the truth is that such space has made individual communities more confident of their respective identities as Sikkimese and reinforced camaraderie by ending denial.
He did however forewarn the people against playing into the hands of ‘forces inimical to Sikkim’ which have been striving to divide Sikkim on communal lines.

Addressing the event, the Chief Minister urged all communities of the State to remain united and work in collaboration with the government to shepherd Sikkim on the path of prosperity.
Stressing that the Sikkimese society was an exemplary one which has always lived in peace, he expressed hope that this environment, carefully nurtured by the State Government, would remain unsullied in the future as well.
To the younger people in the audience, he advised that they understand that there was no substitute for hard work and urged them to leverage the opportunities created for them by the government and become more visionary and responsible.
On his Sikkim tour, the Chief Minster rued that he has been receiving more demands than complaints from the people. The tour, he stressed, was to take stock of what has been achieved so far and to understand the weaknesses of the delivery system of the State Government. In this regard, complaints were more important, he stressed while inviting the people to come forward without fear with their complaints.
He also informed that all the demands received during the tour will be fulfilled in three phases.
He also admitted that he was disappointed with the role played by party workers and panchayats during his tour of constituencies and said that while he was bringing the government to the people, the party workers  and panchayats have not been serious.
Jointly organized by Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre [Kolkata], Sakewa, the main festival of the Rai community was celebrated in grand fashion here at Bhaichung Stadium today with Chief Minister Pawan Chamling as the chief guest.
As much as the day is about celebrating the Rai culture and beliefs, it is also about celebrating achievers from the community, and today, two girls, Aparajita Rai and Raksha Rai were felicitated. While Aparajita made the State proud by clearing the Union Public Service Commission examinations, Raksha was felicitated for having won Discovery Channel’s essay competition held at the national level. Interestingly, Raksha’s essay was on the Sakewa festival of the Rais.
The Chief Minister presented them with a citation and a shawl.
The Chief Minister congratulated the duo and urged the younger generation to take inspiration from them.
The venue hosted a cultural extravaganza with its exhibition of paintings, literature, tradition attires and antiques of the community which was visited and admired by the CM earlier in the day.
The Sakewa celebration started with Shakti Puja at the Kopchey  Mangkhim followed by the procession from the Mangkhim to Bhaichung Stadium.
The programme at Bhaichung Stadium started with a welcome address by AKRS president Dr. SK Rai followed by the Silli presentations by troupes from all over the state as well as from outside and a solo performance by Jiten Rai of Kirat Rai Sanskritik Sangh of Kathmandu.
Also part of the day’s events was the release of the Sakewa Smarika and a Rai Grammar Textbook and Rai Language Textbook for Class VI by the  Chief Minister.
In Organic Farming competition organized for the wards of Poklok Kamrang constituency, Pakjer won the first prize while Dong came second and Nandugaon stood third.
Similarly, in Inter-Block Sili dance competition, Upper Goam was adjudged the best while Purano Namchi and Central Pendam came in second and third position respectively. This was participated in by 10 groups from all over the state.
The Chief Minister also presented mementos to representatives of various ethnic communities and to guests who came from the neighboring Nepal and from Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
The Sakewa celebration here had begun yesterday, inaugurated by the Agriculture Minister DN Takarpa.