Ganesh Rai embarks on Sikkim Sudhar Yatra

BIJOY GURUNG

Our yatra is for better Sikkim, it cannot be stopped: Ganesh
MELLI DARA, : Ganesh Rai encountered his first hurdle right before his house at Mellidara while leading out the Reform Call team for his pre-announced Sikkim Sudhar Sankalpa Yatra on Monday morning.
By late afternoon, the Reform Call leader was canvassing at Namthang having sneaked past a human barricade and a road block on foot at Mellidara by alleged SKM workers.
“They can stop our people and vehicles but how can they stop the thoughts of the people? The ruling SKM should be working on their promises to win the people instead of sending their party supporters to block our movement and prevent us from undertaking our campaign. Our resolve has been strengthened as they don’t want to work and only interested in giving threats,” said Ganesh to media.
Ganesh was waiting for rest of his team members to join him below Mellidara on the arterial road connecting the main highway to Namthang. He had managed to get past the protesting group at two places in the morning hours but others were stranded at the spot.
“The entire Sikkim saw it. The moment we came out our house to start our yatra, the SKM workers arrived and obstructed us on orders of someone. We came walking to board our vehicles but they sat on the road to prevent us from going to our destination,” said the 42-year-old politician.
Ganesh maintained that the yatra was about seeking reforms from the people and not against any individual.
“We have repeatedly said that this is yatra is not against anyone, it is about how to make Sikkim better. But despite having such a huge programme at Melli, what circumstances have come to the SKM government to obstruct our campaign? Why the government has panicked to this level? We are just a small group with about 100 members in this yatra. Why the government is after a small group like us? What happened today has further energized us and strengthened our resolve.”
Ganesh asserted that the hurdles raised against the Sudhar yatra reflect that the SKM government is afraid about its wrongdoings.
“We are committed to do our yatra and reach out to the people with our message. If they stop our vehicles, we will go on foot and in this manner, we are reaching out to more people. Our yatra is our commitment for reforms in Sikkim and to make a better Sikkim tomorrow. Instead of disrupting our campaign, the government should focus on delivering its promises to the people,” said Ganesh.
The Reform Call yatra is a people-outreach campaign of Ganesh Rai and his group. The yatra is proposed to reach every corner of the State seeking inputs from the people on the reforms that Sikkim requires. The feedback is to be included in the vision document when team Reform Call officially announces its political party during the yatra.
“We will come to the media and share more details 15 days before launching our political party. This will be shared during the yatra and very soon, we will announce our political party. It will be a party based on collective decision,” said Ganesh.
On the repeated allegations of fake house allotment orders issued by the SDF government in Melli constituency, Ganesh countered: “Today the protestors were saying that we gave fake house allotment orders but Ganesh Rai was never in the government, was neither a MLA nor a minister. The SKM came to power on this issue but after coming to power, what have they done? Why they have not taken action against those who issued fake allotment orders?”
Earlier in the day, having concluded a final briefing to the Yatra members, Ganesh stepped outside his house at around 8:40 am only to face a group of people carrying placards. The protesters were demanding Ganesh to explain why fake house allotment orders were issued in Melli constituency during the SDF government’s term and also made multiple allegations of corruption against him.
The Reform Call leader, aided by his supporters, managed to gain a passage through to the waiting vehicles at the road above his residence. However, the protesters responded by sitting on the road, blocking vehicular movement and resorted to sloganeering against Ganesh and his Reform Call.
Somehow, Ganesh along with few of his supporters could get through on foot but rest of Reform Call vehicles and other vehicles were struck.
Later a police team arrived at the spot to take control of the situation and after a few hours, the road was cleared for normal vehicular movement.
With the situation normal, Ganesh Rai and his team continued their yatra in vehicles. They interacted with the people at Namthang bazaar and surrounding areas before wrapping up for the day at Turung.