SNS slams Harka for ‘Sikkim-Darjeeling merger’ propaganda

Under whose sponsorship is Harka trying to turn Sikkim into a district?: SNS

GANGTOK,: The Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj (SNS) has strongly condemned former Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chettri for resorting to a “publicity stunt” at Rangpo check post to push forward his Sikkim-Darjeeling merger “propaganda” which grossly undermines Sikkim.

Chettri, also the Jan Andolan Party (JAP) president, had been stopped and returned from Rangpo check post by Sikkim Police on Thursday. He had publicly announced to reach Gangtok and submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to attend the Statehood Golden Jubilee celebrations at Paljor Stadium but made a virtual address as inclement weather curtailed his trip from Bagdogra Airport.

“The Sikkimey Nagarik Samaj strongly opposes the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger demand. Harka Bahadur Chettri and his group grossly undermined Sikkim by attempting to bring forward his demand in Sikkim at a time when our State is celebrating 50 years of its Statehood Day. He is trying to degrade Sikkim, a full-fledged State, into a district. His intention is not merger but to turn Sikkim into a district,” said SNS chief coordinator Sangay Gyatso Sherpa at a press meet here on Friday.

Sherpa stressed that the former Kalimpong MLA was resorting to propaganda politics by showing up at Rangpo when he fully knew that meeting the Prime Minister requires prior clearance.

“Harka Bahadur Chettri fully knew that he cannot meet the Prime Minister without clearance from the PMO. He was also not an invited guest for the Statehood celebrations. Despite this, he made the publicity stunt of trying to enter Sikkim through Rangpo checkpost. This leads to the question on whose sponsorship is he doing such audacious acts. He tried to defame the Sikkim government and SNS, despite being critical of the government on many issues, does not tolerate interference of outsiders in the internal matters of Sikkim,” said the SNS chief coordinator.

Sherpa said the people of Kalimpong-Darjeeling hills are seeking Gorkhaland State, a demand which the people of Sikkim and the Sikkim government have been supporting.

“Harka Bahadur Chettri should understand that their demand is Gorkhaland and not merger of Sikkim-Darjeeling. The people of Kalimpong-Darjeeling have launched movements for Gorkhaland for which many lives have been lost but he is doing divisionary politics with the people there also. We can safely assume that he is anti-Gorkhaland and anti-Sikkim, and urge the people of both regions not to pay heed to his propaganda,” said the SNS chief coordinator.

Sherpa was accompanied by SNS executive members Yogesh Chettri and Rohan Gurung.