Sikkim Democratic Front calls 48-hour state bandh in protest against 'foreigner' remark

Miffed over the 'foreigner' remark against Sikkimese Nepali Community in a recent Supreme Court judgement, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) on February 3 called for a 48-hour bandh on February 4 and 5.

''Through this bandh, we must send a strong message from the people of Sikkim to the Central government that the people of the Sikkimese Nepali Community are not foreigners,'' said SDF president Pawan Chamling.

''Since, it is not possible for people to come up individually and raise their voices. We need a collective demonstration from the people of Sikkim,'' he added.

He further said that in a democracy, calling a bandh is the most appropriate measure to show our collective protest against the foreigner and immigrants stain.

Apart from SDF, various political parties and organisations are holding rallies in different parts of Sikkim to protest the immigrant tag on the Sikkimese Nepali community.

On February 3, blaming Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang for the 'immigration tag to Sikkimese Nepali' in a recent Supreme Court Judgement, SDF party workers burnt down the effigy of CM following a protest rally which was led by Chamling. 

Earlier on February 2 the SDF had said that Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang was responsible for the "immigrant tag issue" in the state and should resign from the post of the Chief Minister. 

"For this whole problem only the chief minister is responsible due to his lackadaisical attitude hence he should resign from the post,'' said MK Subba Chief Spokesperson SDF party.

Speaking further on the issue, Subba asserted now it was high time merger conditions should be revisited or reviewed because Sikkim was merged when China was aggressively expanding its territory and at that time Sikkim choose to be India and merged with India with all the conditions under article 37F after 35th Amendment. 

''So calling these people as immigrants is something not digestible hence centre must review or revisit the merger condition,'' he added.

Also read: Sikkim government files review petition in SC over mention of Sikkimese Nepali Community as foreigners