Sikkim BJP president to hold meeting with centre over Sikkimese identity row

BJP President DR Thapa to meet the central government taking the issue of the recently passed Finance Bill now act and distortion of Sikkimese identity. 

He is hopeful that, the Central government has removed the tag of Nepali immigrants in the same way the centre will also solve the issue of Sikkimese identity which is being diluted in a new Finance Act. 

State BJP president DR Thapa has reiterated that the addition of two more groups in the Sikkimese definition for income tax exemption in the Finance Act 2023 was as per the Supreme Court’s verdict on the AOSS petition. 

Also Read: Hamro Sikkim Party leader raises concerns about dilution of Article 371F, demands resignation of BJP and SKM MLAs

Speaking to the media here on April 4, Thapa mentioned that such expansion does distort the Sikkimese definition and dilutes Article 371F, and as such, needs a collective front from all political parties to address these concerns.  

He said the State BJP will approach the Centre and the party’s national leadership on the issue and expressed his confidence that a political and legal approach would see out a solution.

Sikkim's safety net has been severely diluted by the recently passed Finance Bill 2023, which became an Act on March 31, 2023, after the signature of the President of India and publication in the Gazette of India.

In a press statement, Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) leader raised serious concerns about the dilution of Article 371F, which protects the special identity of Sikkim.

According to the HSP, the amendment has added two new categories to the definition of Sikkimese, completely taking away the special identity of Sikkimese. HSP leader has accused both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), both parties of the double-engine government, of being equally responsible for the dilution of Article 371F.

The HSP leader alleged that the Finance Minister of the BJP bulldozed the Finance Bill in Parliament without any discussion, and the SKM MP did not oppose the Bill or even write an application to hold on to this particular amendment.