Sikkim CM calls on Amit Shah in Delhi; expresses gratitude for upholding sentiments of Sikkimese people

Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Parliament House, New Delhi on February 7.

The Sikkim CM was accompanied by Speaker (SLA) Arun Upreti and Minister Bedu Singh Panth.

"I expressed my gratitude to him for filing a review petition before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and for upholding the sentiments of the Sikkimese people," said Sikkim CM.

Further, the CM said that the government respect the concern displayed by the Union Home Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs, regarding the observations made in the recently pronounced judgment by the Supreme Court of India and are also thankful for the support rendered to the state government.

Also Read: Ministry of Home Affairs files review petition in Supreme Court on observations on 'Sikkimese Nepali'

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has filed a review petition in Supreme Court against some of the observations and directions in a recent judgement dated 13th January 2023 in two petitions of 2013 and 2021 filed by the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim and Ors in the Supreme Court. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a tweet informed that the Government of India reiterated its position about the sanctity of Article 371F of the Constitution that safeguards the Sikkimese identity, which should not be diluted. Further, the observation in the said order about persons of foreign origin settled in Sikkim like Nepalis should be reviewed as the said persons are Sikkimese of Nepali origin.

Earlier in the day, Sikkim's Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba called on the Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at his office in the Parliament. The Lok Sabha MP  apprised him of how the Supreme Court has unjustly observed the Sikkimese Nepali as persons of foreign origin which has deeply hurt the sentiments of our people.