LTVC meets Union ministers, claims State has not submitted new proposal on LT seat issue

GANGTOK,: The Limboo Tamang Voluntary Committee (LTVC) – based on their discussions with the Union ministers - has maintained that the Sikkim government has not submitted any new proposal or formula to the Centre for the Limboo-Tamang Assembly seat reservation since 2019.

In a press statement on Sunday, the LTVC shared that their delegation had recently visited Delhi where they submitted memorandums focusing on the immediate necessity of Limboo-Tamang seat reservation in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly before the 2024 election. The delegation approached Union ministries and institutions including the PMO, President’s office, Home ministry, Election Commission of India and the BJP head-office.

Our team was also granted meetings with Union Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Tribal Affairs minister Arjun Munda and National Commission for ST acting chairman Ananta Nayak and various officials with whom we discussed the Limboo-Tamang seat reservation issue, said the LTVC.

“During our discussions, it was clearly stated (to our expectations) that the Sikkim government had not submitted any new proposals or formulas to the Central government since 2019. The issue of LT seat reservation remained unresolved primarily due to the absence of Sikkim MPs in addressing the matter at the Parliament and Central levels. The LTVC emphasized our present Sikkimese belief that if the Sikkim government had exercised good conscience and sincerity, they would have fulfilled their pre-poll promises to the LT communities or proposed a new formula from the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for seat reservation,” said the LTVC.

Therefore, it is now clear that the absence of Limboo-Tamang seat reservation and ST status bill for left-out communities during this winter and budget session of Parliament proving that recent CM-led delegation at the Centre on December 5, 2023 was nothing more than electioneering stunt, said the LTVC.

In its press statement, the LTVC recorded their gratitude to Rajya Sabha MP Hishey Lachungpa for raising the Limboo-Tamang seat issue and other concerns of Sikkim during the interim budget session in the Parliament.

“The LTVC questions the Sikkim government for playing career political blame games instead of taking definite actions to resolve the seat reservation issue at both the State and Central levels. LTVC’s stand is clear - No Seat No Vote!” said the LTVC.