Tseten Tashi Bhutia, Convenor of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), has issued an open letter to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and a public appeal to the Bhutia-Lepcha (BL) community, urging them to stand up for their constitutional rights. He expressed deep concern over the weakening of Article 371F protections and criticized the community’s silence on critical issues.
Bhutia warned that continued inaction could lead to the loss of hard-earned rights, blaming personal ambition, ignorance, and fear for the lack of resistance. He reminded BL representatives that they serve their people, not just political parties, and should step aside if they cannot protect their community’s interests.
His letter highlighted key resolutions passed by SIBLAC, including the need for high-security holographic papers and digitalization of identification documents like the Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) and Certificate of Identification (COI) to prevent misuse. He also opposed the 2018 amendment that reduced BL reservations in Panchayati Raj Institutions to 8%, demanding its immediate reversal as unconstitutional.
Bhutia further called for the withdrawal of Notification No. 12/Home/2018, which he claimed undermines Sikkim’s old land laws by enabling non-locals to register land. He criticized both the past SDF and present SKM governments for failing to address these concerns and urged the implementation of the Ms. Sarala Committee Report to nullify illegal land registrations.
Expressing disappointment with the SKM government, Bhutia reminded CM Tamang that SIBLAC had supported SKM’s rise to power in 2019 with the expectation of safeguarding Sikkim’s identity. He called for urgent action, warning that peace cannot exist without justice and fairness. He urged the Bhutia-Lepcha community to unite, act before it’s too late, and remember that protecting Sikkim means protecting India.
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