Such unfortunate statement has immensely hurt the sentiments of the majority Gorkha people residing in Sikkim and all over India. He has completely forgotten the history, contribution and sacrifices done by Grokhas in nation building. By such statement he have tried to play with the future of 1.5 crores gorkhas in India and have reflected his anti-gorkha stand by this misdeed.
A person is known as ‘Nepali’ who has the citizenship of Nepal and the people residing in Nepal are also Gorkha as community who has similar custom, language and belief as that of the Gorkhas in India. The inability to understand such a simple fact by our leadership has forced the majority Sikkimese Gorkha to live their life in utter injustice and suppression and have always been termed as immigrants in their own land.
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| Gorkha Apex Committee Sikkim |
To end the misconception of Nationality and Community the Government of India had issued a notification on 23rd August 1988 explaining that the word “Nepali” means a citizen of Nepal and word “Gorkha” means a community. Further, in order to clarify the matter we had sought an answer from the Government of India asking whether the notification of 1988 applies to the people of Sikkim. The Home Ministry has replied that the notification applies to all the Gorkhas of Sikkim and India. The Gorkha Apex Committee have thus submitted the copy of notification, the copy of RTI reply and the copy of “Gorkha” certificate issued by the Government of Sikkim to all the District Collectors. District Collectors in turn have sought the clarification on this matter from the Government and at present the same is under consideration at the office of the Chairman, Law Comission, Government of Sikkim. Therefore, rather than showing attitude of a dictator the Chief Minister should take immediate decision on the matter to end the misconception looming in Sikkimese Society.
The person who promised the majority Sikkimese people to put an end to the stigma of “immigrants” to reach the power corridor in 1994 has now completely made them vulnerable and insecure. He have failed to stand for the majority community when the attempts were made to erase the history of majority people, he could not speak a single word when AOSS filed a case in the Supreme Court of India terming the majority as immigrants, he ignored when few organisations in West Bengal openly declared the Gorkhas as foreigners, he was again a mute spectator when a person filed a writ petition in the Rajya Sabha to declare the majority people of Sikkim as Immigrants. Further, Chief Minister of Sikkim becomes Gorkha automatically after crossing Rangpo and becomes Nepali after entering Sikkim. Therefore, Sikkim needs the answer on what basis is he calling himself as Gorkha outside Sikkim and Nepali inside Sikkim?
Moreover, Pawan Chamling had protested the demand of Nepali Seat reservation brought in by the opposition party in the State Assembly terming the demand of “Nepali” seat reservation as anti-national and now he is batting on term Nepali to gain his vested political interest.
However, the majority people of Sikkim have now understood the difference between Nationality and Community and will not be bewildered. The majority community will give a befitting reply to the leaders who are trying to malign their identity and existence.
