Statesman News Service
KALIMPONG, June 16. — The Sikkim Darjeeling United Action Forum (SDUAF) drafted a requisition to the Union home minister and the West Bengal chief minister against the Sikkim CM, Mr Pawan Chamling.
In a copy of it, obtained by The Statesman, senior forum members have held the SDF supremo, Mr Chamling, of trying to provoke the people of Sikkim against Darjeeling by luring them with money for holding processions, palm plating and the like.
Addressed to Mr Shivraj Patil and Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the note clearly states that Mr Chamling had, in three consecutive public meetings on 16, 18, and 19 April at East, North and South Sikkim, made it clear that out of 37,000 govt employees, 15, 000 hail from the outside of Rangpo – Bengal-Sikkim border – (read Darjeeling District) possessing false Sikkim state citizenship and will be verified and terminated from service.
“We use their roads (NH-31A) but we do not depend on their economy. Instead they earn their livelihood from Sikkim,” it quotes Mr Chamling as having said.
Members of the forum in the memo have also mentioned that the SDUAF has been formed to protest against the remarks made by Mr Chamling, which appeared in a section of the press on 17 April. Its chief coordinator, Mr R Moktan, claimed that Mr Chamling had misinformed the people at the Eastern Council meeting held at Ranchi last month. “We want to apprise the Centre and the state that the trouble maker is Mr Chamling. They should take action against Mr Chamling,” Mr Moktan said. “Aren’t the rest Indian citizens? Why is he differentiating between an Indian citizen and a Sikkim subject,” he asked.
In support of its stand the forum has also sent the press statements of Mr Chamling, its
action plan and the citizenship notification 1975. Significantly, the six-point action plan has hinted about a blockade of NH-31A.