Dzumsa’s social boycott diktat “undemocratic”, counters Thupden Lachungpa

GANGTOK, 10 June: Recently boycotted by the Lachung Dzumsa for alleged violation of the Dzumsa system, president of the Lachung Dzumsa Cooperative Society, Thupden Norzang Lachungpa, has in turn termed the social excommunication as ‘undemocratic’ and ‘unlawful’ and is now considering the option of challenging the action in court.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that he will soon challenge his social boycott in a court of law, adding that such social excommunication goes against the law in a democratic country like India.
Taking a strong stand, he said that the Dzumsa system should evolve in step with the times and should be democratized since it is clubbed into the Panchayati Raj system by the 1993 Amendments Act. He added that he has not violated any principle of the Dzumsa but wants to bring social changes within the ambit and institution of the Dzumsa in a democratic way.
He appealed to the people of Lachung to support social change in Dzumsa stating that change is the need of the hour. “We do not want the Dzumsa to work like the Khap Panchayats,” he stated.
Earlier last week, Pipons and the Gumpa head of Lacung had alleged that Thupden Norzang Lachungpa had been “misguiding the innocent people of Lachung along with trying to dislodge the Dzumsa practice of Lachung by carrying out activities which are totally against the Dzumsa law and system”.
However, Thupden Lachungpa told media persons here at Press Club on Saturday that if the Pipons and Head Lama of Lachung were transparent and democratic, they should have given him a chance to explain himself and prove that he was not in violation of the Dzumsa laws and system.
“I know and have faith in the Dzumsa as a system, but changes have to be brought within the ambit of the law of the land,” he stressed.
While highlighting his efforts to bring changes in the Dzumsa, he claimed that women were not allowed to attend Dzumsa meetings until 2009, however, after he raised his voice against this practice, women were allowed to participate in these meetings and give their advice and suggestions as well.
At the time as well, he had been socially boycotted for raising his voice but was later allowed to attend public functions and ceremonies, he contended.
This time, he claims that it is the “block buying system” he is against and wants to implement the cooperative movement as per the government policy which is going against the interests of a handful of persons associated with the Dzumsa. “We have registered an ‘Educated Youths of Lachung Dzumsa Cooperative Society’ and demanded the state government mechanism to implement the schemes and policies as per the state government norms to promote cooperative societies in Sikkim. What is wrong with the implementation of the cooperative movement and all the sanctioned works upto Rs 2 crore being done by the cooperative as per the government norms?” he expressed.
“I am not against the contractors. We are aiming to promote the lower and economically weaker section of the society irrespective of their caste, creed and community through the cooperative movement started by the state government,” he said.  He claimed that five-time former Pipon Sandup Lachungpa and a large number of “middle class and youth of the economically weaker section” have extended their support to him.