Organic Mission Belongs to the People of Sikkim, Not to Any Individual or Family

KALZANG GYATSO SHERPA

For many years, I deliberately refrained from responding to press statements, interviews, and social media posts made by Mrs Komal Chamling. My silence was not because I lacked questions, concerns, or disagreements. Rather, it stemmed from the cordial personal relationship I shared with her and my belief that public discourse should not be unnecessarily clouded by personal differences.

However, recent statements once again attempting to portray the Organic Mission as the exclusive legacy, achievement, and intellectual property of her father compel me to speak publicly and place certain important questions before the people of Sikkim.

The Organic Mission was never a private enterprise, family project, or political inheritance. It was conceived and implemented as a public policy initiative involving the collective efforts of farmers, agricultural workers, government officials, experts, institutions, and thousands of citizens across Sikkim. Such a mission cannot and should not be reduced to the identity of a single political leader or family.

It is therefore disappointing to repeatedly witness attempts to project the Organic Mission as though it were the personal accomplishment of one individual. Public programmes belong to the people. They are funded by public resources, implemented through public institutions, and sustained through the sacrifices and participation of ordinary citizens. No political family has the moral or political authority to claim ownership over a mission that was carried out in the name of the people of Sikkim.

What is even more concerning is the continuous effort to transform the Organic Mission into a political brand associated with one individual while ignoring the contributions of countless farmers who bore the burden of implementation. The Organic Mission should be evaluated on the basis of its actual outcomes, benefits, shortcomings, and long term impact, not through political marketing and self congratulatory narratives.

At a time when accusations are being directed at the present government for allegedly neglecting the Organic Mission or using the organic brand for political and financial purposes, it is equally important to examine the realities of the previous administration that initiated and promoted the programme.

Several legitimate questions remain unanswered:

- How successful was the Organic Mission in achieving its stated objectives during the tenure of the previous government?

- To what extent did farmers genuinely benefit from the programme?

- How sustainable were the policies introduced under the mission?

- What was the actual ground reality of organic farming across Sikkim during that period?

- How were funds, grants, and resources allocated and utilised under the Organic Mission?

- Were the claims made before the nation and the international community fully reflective of realities on the ground?

These are not political questions. They are questions of accountability and transparency.

Many citizens continue to question whether the image of Sikkim as a fully organic state accurately reflected the challenges, difficulties, and realities experienced by farmers and consumers. These concerns cannot be dismissed through emotional appeals or political rhetoric. Genuine public scrutiny is an essential part of democracy.

There are also persistent public discussions regarding the manner in which Sikkim's organic achievements were showcased during high profile visits by national leaders and dignitaries before 2019. Such matters deserve transparency and clarification rather than attempts to monopolise credit or suppress critical voices. The people have the right to ask questions and seek honest answers.

The people of Sikkim are intelligent, informed, and fully capable of evaluating the success or failure of any government initiative. They do not require political leaders to repeatedly remind them who deserves credit. What they require is accountability, honesty, transparency, and measurable results.

The Organic Mission is not the legacy of any individual. It belongs to the people of Sikkim. Its successes should be celebrated collectively, and its shortcomings should be acknowledged honestly. Public policy must never be transformed into a personality cult.

It is also important to address the manner in which Komal Chamling continues to defend and attribute the entire Organic Mission and the narrative of Sikkim as the world's first organic state exclusively to her father. Such statements reflect a concerning lack of understanding of how public institutions and government programmes function.

By repeatedly presenting a statewide mission as the achievement of a single individual, she diminishes the role played by thousands of farmers, government officials, experts, and citizens who contributed to the initiative. More importantly, such arguments reveal a narrow and politically immature understanding of governance and public administration.

As the head of the Women's Wing of the SDF, one would naturally expect a higher level of political awareness, objectivity, and policy understanding. Leadership positions require informed debate, critical thinking, and the ability to engage with facts rather than relying solely on inherited political narratives.

Unfortunately, when public discourse is reduced to defending a family legacy rather than addressing substantive issues, people are justified in questioning whether leadership positions are being occupied on the basis of merit, competence, and political ability, or whether they are primarily a consequence of political inheritance and familial association.

Public leadership is not about defending personalities. It is about serving people. It requires the courage to acknowledge both achievements and failures. It requires independent thinking, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to engage with criticism constructively.

The people of Sikkim deserve leaders who are informed, accountable, and capable of discussing policy matters on the basis of facts and evidence rather than emotional attachment to political legacies.

The time has come to move beyond personality driven politics and focus instead on truth, transparency, farmer welfare, and the future of sustainable agriculture in Sikkim. The Organic Mission belongs to the people, and its history must be judged by facts, not by political mythology.

(Views are personal. Email: kalzangsherpa8@gmail.com)