Editorial: Beyond the Fireworks

The disgruntled SDF MLA from Upper Burtuk officially acquired the stripes of dissidence on the floor of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly by attending the Budget Session and broadcasting his opposition to everything that his party proposed. The rubicon now crossed, it will be interesting to see how his politics matures, both, in the House and on the streets. 
Although his dissidence was obvious ever since the Cabinet composition was announced for the SDF’s fourth term, he has thus far only been spoken on behalf of by his supporters, and it was only with his Assembly debut of the fourth term this week that he unveiled the tone of his opposition. His tone was expectedly aggressive and confrontational, an attitude which earned him suspension from the House on the last day. All this may be fine to make headlines for a day and draw cheers from the already converted, but the fence-sitters and the other constituencies he needs to acquire to have a serious shot at filling in the vacuum of opposition, will want more substance. Frankly speaking, although his attitude was new to the Legislative Assembly, there was nothing new in the points he raised, all of which have already been circulated in the public domain, some by his own supporters and some by other opposition groups. Also, for all the intensity with which he and his party colleagues levelled allegations and counter allegations at each other, there was very little in the exchange which contributed to the proceedings of the House and are best left to political public meetings and press release battles, not the Legislative Assembly. Since this was his first appearance in the House as a dissident, maybe the approach was required to underline his stand, but it would be a shame if he kept offering up reasons to be left out from future discussions as well. Since he has taken on the mantle of dissidence in a House which officially has no Opposition party members, he has also acquired the responsibility to deliver on the role by playing by the rules and getting his points on record. Although he might disagree, as would his supporters, fact remains that he was allowed the space and time to have his say and even get some valid points across during the Budget Session. For example, his protest against the voting on the Budget proposals the day it was tabled was admitted and discussions re-scheduled for the next day. It is another matter that while participating in the discussions the next day, he used up more of his time to speak, as the Speaker reminded him, “out of context”. While the political statements were challenged and vehemently contested, treating visitors to rare ruckus in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, all specific comments and queries raised by Mr. Tamang on the proposals of different departments were addressed by the concerned Ministers and replied. For example, although not directly related to the HRDD Bill tabled in the House, when he raised the issue of a discotheque allowed to operate next to a school at Adampool below Gangtok, he was not only informed that the issue was being looked into but the UD&HD Minister also put on record that the establishment was operating on a provisional licence which will lapse soon when it will be reviewed afresh.
Although other performances made the headlines for Mr. Tamang, it will be such engagements which have longer staying power and should be the role that he plays in the Assembly from here on.  Efforts aimed at embarrassing each other should be invested in press releases and public meetings but are wasted energies when indulged in the Assembly, because even if the shenanigans provide some vicarious entertainment to the visitors’ gallery, they neither go on record, nor influence policy decisions; and Assembly goes into session to decide on latter matters and should not and does not take too well to unfruitful digressions as Mr. Tamang, as also other members, were reminded by the Speaker on the last day.