Sikkim delegation meets Karnataka CM, receives assurance that no harm will come to any Sikkimese

CM DESPATCHES HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION TO CHECK ON GROUND SITUATION IN BANGALORE

GANGTOK, 20 Aug: The State Government had been keeping a close watch on developments in South India ever since a mass exodus of people from the North East had begun from cities there on 13 August in the face of rumours of retaliatory violence targeting them for the ethnic/ communal rioting which continues to keep Kokrajhar in Assam tense. While the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police had been keeping in constant touch with their counterparts in Karnataka [the fear psychosis was strongest in Bangalore] and receiving repeated reassurances of all being well there, over the weekend, the Chief Minister directed that a high-level delegation be deputed to Bangalore to check on the welfare of the Sikkimese studying and working there and to call on authorities there to ensure that adequate provisions were in place to keep people from Sikkim safe in Bangalore. Although no untoward incident has been reported against Sikkimese there, given that the rumoured deadline for the backlash fell today, it was apt that this high level delegation was in Bangalore today to reiterate the security concerns vis a vis the Sikkimese in Bangalore.
The Sikkim Government delegation comprising of Speaker KT Gyalsten, HRDD Minister NK Pradhan, Gangtok Deputy Mayor Shakti Singh and Namchi Municipal Council vice chairman NH Ansari accompanied by HRDD Secretary CS Rao called on the Chief Minister of Karnataka Jagadish Shettar in Bangalore today.
And IPR press release informs that the Sikkim delegation expressed concern over the safety of Sikkmese living in Karnataka to which Mr. Shettar gave all assurances towards ensuring the safety of all Sikkimese and informed the delegation that all possible help would be extended in this regard.
The Chief Secretary and DGP of Karnataka and the Police Commissioner of Bangalore were also present at the meeting and they too fully supported the concern of the Sikkim Govt, the release adds.
It may be added here that yesterday, the Karnataka DGP, in a communication marked to DGP Jasbir Singh here, reiterated the assurance to parents and relatives of students and employees from Sikkim staying in Karnataka that the situation there was completely normal. He further conveyed that all the police stations in Karnataka have been instructed to promptly attend to any complaints given by any person from the North East and to take immediate and necessary action. Bangalore was policed today by some 17,000 law enforcement personnel to discourage any untoward incident.
The Sikkim delegation, meanwhile, is in Karnataka to check on the ground reality and was pleased to find that all Sikkimese residing there are safe and sound and thanked the CM of Karnataka on behalf of the Chief Minister of Sikkim for ensuring that no harm had come to any Sikkimese.
The delegation has reported that the situation is under control with no reports of any violence on any NE citizens except for the prevalence of a fear psychosis, the IPR release informs.
The delegation also met with a section of the Sikkimese students there and briefed them on the efforts that the State Government was undertaking. The students were requested to go about their studies as normal and were informed of the helplines set up in case they required any assistance.
The delegation also met with the Karnataka Minister of Higher Education who has directed the various colleges to conduct special classes for NE students who may have missed classes or exams in the aftermath of the rumours.
The NE states have also requested the Karnataka govt to help set up a NE office in Bangalore in the near future. It is further learnt that the Home Minister of Karnataka who is also the Deputy CM will be making a tour of NE states with a message of reassurance and as a confidence-building measure.
The Sikkim delegation will be meeting leaders of the Muslim community in Bangalore on Tuesday to further ensure the safety of Sikkimese and other NE citizens.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has appealed to all the people of Sikkim, especially those in the cities gripped by rumour-mongering about a backlash, to remain calm and united. The Chief Minister, the IPR release conveys, has called for the Sikkimese people to stay united in the face of this adversity and stressed that even in New Delhi all the parties are united in sending out a clear message of unity so that the ugly events are brought to a close and the culprits and perpetrators are found and punished.

HELPLINE DETAILS FOR ASSISTANCE OF PEOPLE FROM NE AND SIKKIM CONVEYED BY KARNATAKA DGP IN HIS COMMUNICATION TO SIKKIM DGP:

Bangalore City: Helpline No: 080-22942222, NE Control Room: 080-22250999

Nodal Officer: VS D’souza, cell: 9480801020, 080-22200920

Police Control Room: 080-22943322, 080-22942865

DGP Karnataka: 080-2294277

State Control Room, Karnataka: 080-22942, 080-222117