JAC calls for Sikkim bandh on Wednesday

Gangtok : The Joint Action Council (JAC) has called a Sikkim bandh on Wednesday to register a strong condemnation of the ‘immigrant’ tag on Sikkimese Nepali and dilution of ‘Sikkimese’ definition in the January 13 Supreme Courts verdict.

The bandh call has been supported by the ruling SKM party and is expected to be a total success.

Through the proposed dawn to dusk bandh (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), the JAC is also demanding that the ‘foreigner’ references in the court’s observations are expunged and the ‘Sikkimese’ definition is restored.

The Council has representatives from various sections of the Sikkimese civil society and in the past few days, has been leading a people’s campaign through rallies against the objectionable references in the Supreme Court judgment.

Addressing the media on Sunday evening, the JAC functionaries clarified it was a bandh announcement and not a call to hold rallies on that day.

“There is confusion among many as seen in social media. The JAC wants to make it clear… February 8 is a bandh call and not a rally. Sikkim will be shut down on February 8. We appeal people to stay indoors and give their one day for Sikkim. Only emergency services would be permitted to run,” said JAC general secretary Keshav Sapkota.

At the press meet, the JAC functionaries maintained that people attending the JAC rallies should not come with any political agenda.

“Please come to join our rallies but do not come with any wear or appendage that symbolizes your political affiliation. Come as a Sikkimese, that is our appeal. This is not a JAC issue but an issue of Sikkim,” they said.

Meanwhile, the ruling SKM has extended its full support to the JAC-called Sikkim bandh.

The SKM does not carry any ego when it comes to protecting the identity and rights of the Sikkimese and will always along with the people of Sikkim, said party spokesperson Jacob Khaling in a statement announcing.

“I appeal all the party workers and people of Sikkim to extend total support to the JAC-called bandh and make it successful,” said the spokesperson.

He also appealed the police administration and the bandh organisers to take strong action against those politically motivated elements if they try to create unrest in Sikkim in the bandh pretext.

Bandhs are rare in Sikkim but presently there is widespread discontentment among the majority Nepali speaking community after the Supreme Court referred them as persons of “foreign origin” in its verdict of January 31 over a petition filed by Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim.

Opposition SDF led by former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling had called for a two-day Sikkim bandh on February 4 and 5.

The call however, went largely unheeded on both days with the ruling SKM celebrating its 11th foundation day on February 4 across Sikkim.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Sikkim BJP president D.R. Thapa along with BJP MLAs, members of the JAC and Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj called on Union Home minister Amit Shah at New Delhi on Sunday evening.

The team apprised Shah about the issue of foreigners tag to Sikkimese Nepali and distortion of the definition of ‘Sikkimese’ as a result of the recent Supreme Court judgement, informs a State BJP press release.

After a patient hearing, the Union Home minister assured that sentiments of the Sikkimese community are well respected.

People of Sikkim are an integral and essential part of India and the Constitutional provision for people of Sikkim shall be protected, he said.

“He advised that Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance shall jointly bring the matter for review before the Hon’ble Court, on an immediate basis, and seek clarity on the term Sikkimese, in line with Constitutional provisions. He appealed to the people of Sikkim to maintain peace and harmony in the State and advised political parties to refrain from attempting to take political mileage out of this sensitive issue,” the release from the State BJP president informs.

–IANS