SIBLAC Convenor Appeals to Bhutia-Lepcha Community
Tseten Tashi Bhutia, the Convenor of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), has made a strong appeal to the Bhutia-Lepcha (BL) community, urging them to safeguard their constitutional rights. In an open letter to Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, Bhutia expressed deep concern over the gradual erosion of Article 371F and criticized the community’s inaction on this critical issue.
Call for Action to Preserve Constitutional Safeguards
Bhutia emphasized the importance of speaking up against the dilution of constitutional protections. He warned that continued silence and indifference could lead to the loss of hard-earned rights. He urged elected Bhutia-Lepcha representatives to remain accountable to their community rather than their political parties. If they fail to protect their people’s interests, he suggested they step aside for leaders who will.
Key Resolutions and Demands
In his letter, Bhutia outlined urgent resolutions passed by SIBLAC, demanding immediate action from the government:
- Implementation of high-security holographic papers and digitization of key documents, including the Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) and Certificate of Identification (COI), to prevent misuse.
- Restoration of Bhutia-Lepcha reservations in Panchayati Raj Institutions, which was reduced to 8% in 2018 despite Article 371F ensuring 50% reservation.
- Withdrawal of Notification No. 12/Home/2018, which allegedly violates Sikkim’s old land laws and allows non-locals to register land.
- Immediate implementation of the Ms. Sarala Committee Report, which recommends nullifying illegal land registration policies.
Criticism of the SKM and SDF Governments
Bhutia criticized both the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) governments for their failure to protect the constitutional rights of the Bhutia-Lepcha community. He particularly held the SKM government accountable for continuing anti-reservation policies and not addressing the long-standing concerns of the community.
A Call for Unity and Justice
Bhutia reminded CM Tamang that SIBLAC played a vital role in bringing SKM to power in 2019, with the expectation that the government would protect Sikkim’s identity and constitutional rights. However, he expressed disappointment that many past injustices remain uncorrected.
Reiterating his demand for justice, fairness, and respect for Sikkim’s unique identity, Bhutia urged the Bhutia-Lepcha community to unite and take collective action. He warned that peace cannot exist without justice, and justice cannot exist without fairness. He concluded by stating that protecting Sikkim is essential for safeguarding India.
