Gangtok, 23 March (MTNews): As part of its Sikkim Bachao Abhiyan program, former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and entire Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) workers turned up at Yangang on Friday wearing helmets as a symbolic protest against the ongoing and increasing violence and life threatening attacks on SDF party members since 2019.
Yangang is also Pawan Chamling’s birthplace.
According to a press release received here, since the elections in 2019, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party has led a series of attacks on SDF party workers and leaders, including an attack on Chamling himself during the by-elections on 10 October, 2019.
The release mentioned that over 200 incidents of attacks on SDF cadre have taken place since 2019 with the latest attack on Tashi Gyatso, General Secretary Incharge West District, SDF, on 11 March 2023 by masked men in the bustling streets of Gangtok in broad daylight.
The release further alleged that the day after Chief Minister PS Golay on 4 February 2023 made a speech at Assangthang inciting violence against SDF cadre stating that “I will enter the houses (of SDF workers) myself and show what is to be done,” the SDF head office in Gangtok, SDF party office in Namchi were pelted with stones and petrol bombs and many party workers were gravely injured in life threatening attacks while masked men entered the house of Ramesh Rai, Vice President South District, SDF, and hit him with rods.
“Not a single arrest has been made thus far for any of the attacks,” the release stated.
Therefore, as a statement against the ongoing violence and negligence by the government and police, Chamling led the helmet rally at Yangang on 17 March.
Referring to these incidents, Chamling maintained that the SKM, after forming the government, introduced a political culture of stone pelting and unleashing violence against the opposition parties, especially the SDF.
“Hence we did a helmet-rally today in Yangang in protest against the stone pelting and violence of the SKM. It is our holy revolution against the politics of violence. This is to give a message that Sikkim does not accept stone pelting and political violence and SDF is a party that gives security and peace to the people of Sikkim. We also want to give a message to the Centre that people in Sikkim do not feel safe under the anarchist SKM government and Sikkim is no longer a peaceful State,” he said.
Chamling is a five-time Chief Minister of Sikkim and is currently the MLA of Namchi Singithang constituency and President of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF).