First time in four years, an opposition party in Sikkim today burnt the effigy of chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling

Gangtok, Aug. 14: For the first time in four years, an opposition party in Sikkim today burnt the effigy of chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling to protest against a bill that seeks to curb strikes and other modes of agitation to preserve public order.

While members of the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) burnt the effigy and waved black flags, other opposition parties in the state decided to boycott the high tea to be hosted by the governor at Raj Bhavan tomorrow on the      occasion of Independence Day.

A group of SHRP supporters gathered on NH31A in front of the Lal Bazaar supermarket at 1.45pm and brought out black flags and posters condemning the Sikkim Prevention and Control of Disturbance of Public Order Bill.

They had also burnt Chamling’s effigy minutes before his convoy passed by on its way to the chief minister’s residence in Mintokgang.

Sadar police arrived at the spot soon and arrested the SHRP members. They were booked under Section 169 of the Sikkim Police Act for creating nuisance at public places. Under this section, an offender is fined Rs 200 and released on bail after he/she is produced in court.

The last time Chamling’s effigy had been burnt was on August 8, 2007. The supporters of the SHRP were then protesting the alleged suppression of opposition parties by the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front.

The bill seeks to curb activities like strikes, dharnas, hunger-strikes, waving of black flags and sloganeering that might affect public order. It even sets curbs on drug abuse, drunken behaviour and visit to discos by persons below the age of 18. The bill is scheduled to be put to the vote in the Assembly on August 26. All 32 members in the Assembly are from the SDF.

The boycott of the governor’s tea party was announced by Sikkim National People’s Party president Biraj Adhikary. “We are jointly going to launch a protest campaign against this black bill and it will start with the boycott of tomorrow’s tea party at Raj Bhavan where all political party leaders have been invited,” said Adhikary.

The usually pro-active publicity wing of the SDF has not issued any statement on the opposition protest at the bill.
TT