ASSUA strongly condemned Residential Certificate distribution in sikkim

The All Sikkim Self-employed and Unemployed Association (ASSUA) has strongly condemned the state government’s move to provide Residential Certificates to left-out communities and has demanded an immediate halt to the RC-form distribution. Speaking to reporters here in Gangtok on Tuesday, ASSUA president Mohan Kumar Rai and general secretary Sonam Pintso Bhutia emphasised that the provision of Residential Certificate will diminish the significance of Sikkim Subject (CoI) and limit the special provisions for holders. Notably, the state government, as announced earlier, started providing residential certificates to people residing in the state since or before April 26, 1975, provided they have a documented proof of their residence. The move by the state government has drawn flak from various quarters, especially the opposition parties, while the ASSUA has become the first state level organisation to protest against it.
Rai said Sikkim Subject holders will be at a loss if the RC distribution continues. “Five years ago, a similar decision was made by the state government, but due to protests it had to be scraped. Now, the RC issue has once again surfaced, hence we have decided to protest against it,” he explained. The ASSUA president further informed that his organisation will soon come out in the open to protest against the issue and also publish a booklet. It may be mentioned here that the ASSUA had formally joined the SDF before the assembly election last year under then president Navin Kiran. Now, with its fresh attack on the state government’s policy, the association has sent a message of defiance. (HS)