Chronicle 2021
Condolence Dr. Sanjay Upreti
Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee is deeply saddened by the passing away of cardiologist Dr. Sanjay Upreti. It is a great and irreparable loss to Sikkim in general and the medical fraternity of the state in particular.
At this hour of sorrow, SIBLAC extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. We pray to almighty for strength and courage to his near and dear ones to overcome their loss. We offer our thoughts, prayers and well wishes to the family.
We also take this opportunity to demand stringent punishment to the culprit, so that such heinous incidents are not repeated in future.
OM AMI DEWA HRIH - OM SHANTI
Tseten Tashi Bhutia
Convenor, SIBLAC
Obituary Thukchuk Lachungpa
Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee is deeply saddened by the sudden demise of former minister and social worker Thukchuk Lachungpa.
Late Lachungpa in his illustrious career has greatly contributed towards community, state and nation as a whole. From his love of painting to fitness, politics to philanthropy and humour to humility, late Thukchuk was a man of great stature who was loved and admired by all.
Words may not suffice to express the heartfelt sorrow we feel on the passing away of late Lachungpa, who touched so many hearts and opened so many minds.
At this hour of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family. May Guru Rinpoche provide solace and peace to all his near and dear ones.
OM AMI DEWA HRIH - OM AMI DEWA HRIH - OM AMI DEWA HRIH
Tseten Tashi Bhutia
Convenor, SIBLAC
Obituary Phur Tshering Lucksom
SIBLAC extends its deep condolences to the family members and well wishers on the demise of our beloved Ren P.T. Lucksom.
It is indeed a sad day for all of us. His death is a great loss to Sikkim and Sikkimese. He lived, breathed and stood for the Sikkimese cause only.
We will miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
Tseten Tashi Bhutia
Convenor, SIBLAC
Rally of Solidarity at MG Marg
Senior Sikkimese politician, former Minister and present SIBLAC Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia was accorded a warm welcome by a group of people who had initiated a peaceful rally at Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
The rally was organized as a retaliation act to a specific comment made by Jacob Khaling, Political Secretary to the CM. In a press conference held a few days ago, Khaling had made a statement wherein he had argued and said: "How can Tseten Tashi Bhutia walk around MG Marg and show his face now?"
This statement was made by Khaling after Sikkim Nagarik Samaj had accused the State Police's inefficiency to register a case against Khaling. Later the State Police through an official press conference had termed the case closed and the purported FIR to be fake.
Last evening, Mr. Khaling through a video message on the social media apologized for his comments on Tseten Tashi Bhutia.
In reply to a question posed by a media person about the same, Mr. Bhutia replied that, as a human being he'd forgive Jacob Khaling, but he would not forgive him for his act and offence.
With ONORC, Sikkim heading for uncertain Future: SIBLAC
Former minister and Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia said in a statement on Saturday that with implementation of 'One Nation, One Ration Card' (ONORC) in the State, the "incentive to migrate to Sikkim is even greater" for non-locals. He added that as ONORC implementation had several critical issues unresolved,"Sikkim is heading into uncertain future."
"With these critical issues unresolved, Sikkim is heading into uncertain future. Bhutia's Press statement said that in the Socio-Economic Census, 2006, the number of non-locals stood at 146,564 or 25.2 per cent of the total population of Sikkim. "This number has substantially increased over the years, with the implementation of ONORC the incentive to migrate to Sikkim is even greater." Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang had earlier this week launched the ONORC implementation in Sikkim. Both the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha and its ally BJP have defended the ONORC as a welfare measure for migrant workers while maintaining that the Centml flagship programme does not violate Article 371F of the Constitution.
In his statement, Tseten Tashi said the government chose to ignore questions raised on implication of ONORC on Sikkim's special constitutional provisions.
"The Central cadre bureaucrats advising the government have constantly ignored the dilution of article 371F by extending Central programmes and laws without even seeking exemption under the special protection given to Sikkim by the Constitution. In the initial stage of discussion on the programme, many States had protested against the implementation of this programme but the Sikkim state government did not even seek exemption under Article 371F nor made any effort to seek clarifications. In major amendments like the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Home Minister has given assurance that this act will not affect the special provisions of Sikkim when he was approached for clarification but in regard to ONORC, no effort was made by the government", said the former minister.
"The eagerness of the State government in launching schemes to please the Central government without complete preparation is going to lead to future problems and failure of implementation. The allocation of the foodgrains to States will be dynamic, based on the lifting of food grains captured on a monthly basis across states. Especially, when a few members of a family that owns a ration card migrate for a few months, reconciling the data at both locations would be a critical challenge. On the storage distribution front, Food Corporation of India godowns have to operate in tandem, considering the needs arising in particular states," said Tseten Tashi. He added that it was the prerogative of the party in power whether to accept and implement the central laws in Sikkim as guaranteed by Article 371F.
He reiterated the assurance given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament on December 11, 2019, that the Citizenship Amendment Act would not affect Sikkim because of its special constitutional provision under Article 371F.
"So, the same logic and philosophy should prevail over all central laws like ONORC before implementing in Sikkim. Therefore, the ball is in the court of the party in power who is running the show," said Tseten Tashi.
The former minister also raised several ground-level issues in Sikkim while implementing ONORC. "The very first aim of the programme is directed towards migrants and this data is absent with the government of Sikkim, it has only recently started collecting the data. The department of Labour has not defined a timeline for finalizing the list of migrants. The absence of this data is a serious handicap in implementing ONORC since the government will not be able to quantify the requirement of food grains," said Tseten Tashi.
"The PDS system, sans its digitalization, has several gaps. If on migration, a migrant changes his ration shop within a few months there may be a technical problem in updating the data again and again. It is known that the data management in Sikkim is not very robust and well managed and the constant updating required will need a well-organized and supervised system if the programme is to succeed," he said.
"Sikkim also has the most different types of ration cards with different quota for each one. It must be specified now that migrants will only be allotted rations as per the central government sanctioned and supported schemes and they will not be entailed any quota supported by the State," said Tseten Tashi, the SIBLAC Convenor.
Condolence Kavi Agya Gyurme
SIBLAC mourns the untimely passing away of our Kavi Agya Gyurme, who, besides being an active member of SIBLAC, was also a member of the Indian Himalayan Council under Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) and of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
He was a man having courage and audacity to face anybody for the Sikkimese cause. I could always count on him in our struggle. I am shocked and saddened since he was very close to me. It is a great loss to all Sikkimese and me personally.
SIBLAC extends its deep condolences to his bereaved family members.
May the departed soul rest in peace.
OM AMI DEWA HRIH - OM AMI DEWA HRIH - OM AMI DEWA HRIH
Tseten Tashi Bhutia
Convenor, SIBLAC
Labour Registration must not grant Settlement Rights in Sikkim
The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has submitted suggestions to Chief Minister P.S. Golay over the newly introduced labour registration rules. In a letter, Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia suggested that the new labour registration rule should seek to achieve the primary goal of registering all workers in the state so their number could be ascertained and they could be monitored and traced. The other purpose was to be able to give the various benefits extended to the workers admissible under law. The confusion whether local workers would have to register or not had to be clarified. If they were denied the benefits as they did not register, only the non-locals would stand to benefit. "Such exclusion of locals would go against the very purpose in protection of local workers", sais Bhutia.
SIBLAC suggests that the state government must expand the definition of labourers to the unorganised sector so that the local population could derive the benefits of schemes for this section.
"Presently there are more than 25000 agricultural labourers in Sikkim as per 2011 census and 87000 workers under MGNREGA. These people who are the poorest of the population must be registered under the new law so that they can be protected and be given benefits. All workers under MGNREGA are registered with the Centre and have been given job cards, their details can be easily sourced from Rural Development Department."
The law must also specify very clearly that registration would not grant the workers any right of settlement in Sikkim or any other benefits or rights extended to the local population or claim on domicile and voting rights; this was to prevent future controversy from the registered workers claiming to be old settlers and claiming rights and benefits from their long years working in Sikkim. This was also to prevent migration and attempt to change the demographic status of the state and to protect the local population. "First hand detailed surveys must be conducted from time to time to understand the problems of the different categories of unorganized labour.
–> Documentation: Additional Suggestions to the CM - July 8, 2021
SIBLAC rejects GRC Merger Demand
Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia refutes the demand of the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress - resurfacing with a certain regularity - that Darjeeling should be reunited with Sikkim.
Unmasking the empty promise of restoring the past glory of Sikkim as a manoeuvre capacitating the self-styled Gorkhas to take over another slice of the erstwhile Buddhist Kingdom, he reminds the GRC, that "the Nepalese of Sikkimese origin are Sikkimese first with interest of Sikkim in their heart and any attempt to lure them into their secessionist movement will be strongly resisted by all Sikkimese."
–> Documentation: SIBLAC Press Statement - July 6, 2021
SIBLAC on Registration of individual Workers
In a letter to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, SIBLAC Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia lists an impressive number of deficiencies, omissions and inaccuracies that make the recent office order of the Labour Department (amending the Sikkim Labour Protection Act, 2005) a virtual cluster of loopholes.
Being an experienced leader, Bhutia not only points to the weak spots, however. His submission includes elaborate propsals for the improvement in regard to statistical data collection, overall inclusion of individual workers, wage regulation, etc to ascertain the legal title, under which concerned labourers earn their living in Sikkim.
–> Documentation: Suggestions to the CM - June 20, 2021
Press Statement on Intolerance and Hirelings at Namchi Incidents
The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has condemned the recent incident in Namchi wherein an effigy of Bhaichung Bhutia was burnt in daylight amid lockdown by dozens of women. In the aftermath of the riots manifesting abysmal attitudes on the part of certain partisans, SIBLAC calls for decency and respect for democratic values. As Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia puts it:
"The Constitution of India gives the sacred right of speech so that every citizen can give his opinion. It is up to the government whether to accept or reject the opinions but in no way try to muzzle the citizen by threatening him."
–> Documentation: SIBLAC Press Statement - June 10, 2021