BJP leader warns against any move to dilute Article 371F in Sikkim
He stressed that the special constitutional provision is not a privilege, but the very foundation of Sikkim's merger with India in 1975.
Article 371F, included in the Indian Constitution at the time of Sikkim's statehood, protects the ownership rights of Sikkimese people through the Revenue Order of 1917, safeguards the Sikkim Subject Certificates and their descendants, ensures reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly, and preserves pre-merger laws and customs.
Bhutia expressed deep concern that in recent years there have been attempts to weaken these protections through legislation, administrative decisions, or court rulings. He said that instead of celebrating Sikkim's 50 years of statehood in 2025 with pride, many people now live with fear and insecurity.
He pointed to demographic changes since 1975, claiming that migration from neighbouring countries has shifted political priorities and led to non-locals controlling much of Sikkim's economy.
He also warned that permanent settlement of outsiders in sensitive border areas could threaten national security. According to him, some local politicians have encouraged this trend for vote-bank politics, offering freebies and ignoring long-term risks.
Bhutia criticised both the state and central governments for failing to act decisively. He noted that Sikkim has only one representative each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, giving the state limited influence in Delhi.
He accused certain IAS and IPS officers of working for personal gain rather than public welfare, in collusion with political leaders.
Calling for urgent action, Bhutia appealed to the judiciary, lawmakers, and constitutional authorities to uphold the original spirit of the 1975 Merger Agreement.
He said court judgments in the past have sometimes gone against the interests of the Sikkimese people due to misleading information from state authorities. If this continues, he warned, it could erode public trust, harm ethnic harmony, and compromise national security given Sikkim's borders with China, Bhutan, and Nepal.
Bhutia urged all Sikkimese citizens to stay united and vigilant in defending Article 371F. He also reminded policymakers that weakening it would not just harm Sikkim's identity, but also threaten India's federal structure and national interest.
'Any weakening of Article 371F is not just an attack on Sikkim's identity, it is a threat to India's federal integrity and national interest,' Bhutia said.
UNI SUJ AAB
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
4 minutes ago
- Hans India
Street dog menace: Oppn MLAs want SC directions to be extended to State
Bengaluru: Opposition MLAs on Wednesday urged the Karnataka government to implement the Supreme Court directives on addressing the street dog menace in the state and take steps to protect the residents. The MLAs highlighted the stray dog issue near Vidhana Soudha and the Legislators' Home, and sought the Speaker's intervention. These remarks by the MLAs came after the Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR authorities to permanently relocate all strays from streets to shelters 'at the earliest'. The top court noted that there was an 'extremely grim' situation due to stray dog bites resulting in rabies, particularly among children. The call for action comes a day after two college students were attacked by stray dogs here and they were hospitalised. The incident occurred inside the Jnanabharathi campus, near Kengeri. Raising the issue, soon after the Question Hour, JD(S) floor leader in the Assembly C B Suresh Babu said if all the corporations of the state were to take similar action, it would protect the children. Senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar said the apex court's directions should be extended to all parts of the country. 'In the last six months, 18,000 dog bites have been reported in Bengaluru, 18 people were infected by rabies. It should become applicable even in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru and other places,' he said. Another BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan said the court order should also be applied to the premises of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka legislature and secretariat here, where there is street dog menace. 'There are about two lakh reported dog bite incidents, it is a serious matter. We can send them (dogs) on the streets, to dog lovers' houses. The Chief Minister has tweeted expressing sympathy.... the government should take action, the Supreme Court directions should be implemented in Karnataka too,' he added. In the wake of the SC directive to Delhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said treating stray dogs as a nuisance to be 'removed' is not governance - it is 'cruelty'. Humane societies find solutions that protect people and animals, he said, adding that, 'Sterilisation, vaccination, and community care work. Fear-driven measures only create more suffering, not safety.' Pointing to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) Rs 2.88 crore plan to feed about 4,000 street dogs in the city, which had led to a debate on social media recently, Suresh Babu said, 'Instead of the corporation serving Biryani to dogs, let the authorities take measures to control their menace.' On the dog menace at the Legislators' Home, BJP MLA Umanatha Kotian said, 'We can't step out, dogs are (Speaker) should take note and give instructions to officials.' Expressing helplessness, Speaker U T Khader said, 'Some legislators want the dogs to be around, some don't want...' A few other legislators too requested the Speaker to take action, pointing out that both Vidhana Soudha and Legislators' Home come under the Speaker's jurisdiction. Earlier in February, Speaker Khader had announced that it has been decided to build shelters for dogs and to manage them with the help of NGOs, aimed at resolving the problem caused by street dogs on the Vidhana Soudha premises. He had made it clear that the dogs won't be shifted elsewhere.
Hans India
4 minutes ago
- Hans India
Ramalinga Reddy calls for Kannada Shloka training in Muzrai temples
Bengaluru: Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy announced that priests in Karnataka's Muzrai temples will be instructed to learn and recite shlokas in Kannada during worship. The directive aims to promote the use of the Kannada language in religious rituals. During the Legislative Council's Question Hour, BJP member Bharathi Shetty pointed out that while Tamil Nadu temples recite shlokas in Tamil, Karnataka temples still predominantly use Sanskrit. She suggested that Karnataka temples should also introduce Kannada shloka recitation, citing the example of Hiremagalur Kannan, known for his Kannada recitations. Shetty further raised concerns about cleanliness in temples and urged for maintenance on the lines of Tirupati. Responding, Reddy said that after years of delay, certificates for Agama training are now being issued, and priests will be guided to practise Kannada shlokas. He added that from August 15, plastic will be banned in temples, alongside stricter cleanliness measures. State to act on bike taxi services as per High Court order Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has stated that the government will comply with the High Court's order regarding the reinstatement of bike taxi services in the state. Responding to BJP MLC D.S. Arun in the Legislative Council, Reddy explained that bike taxi services, including Rapido, were halted due to rule violations by operating companies. Arun had argued that the suspension deprived many young people of employment opportunities and inconvenienced commuters, noting that there are about 8 lakh gig workers in the state. Reddy recounted that in 2018, discussions were held on the pros and cons of bike taxi services, and in 2019 a committee led by the Metro MD recommended against them. However, in 2021, battery-powered vehicles were allowed. The current suspension, he said, is due to operators flouting regulations. 'The matter is in court, and a verdict is expected in a few days. The government will act in accordance with the court's decision,' he assured.
Indian Express
4 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Chirag Paswan's party MP, her MLC husband, has two EPIC cards: Tejaswhi Yadav
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that Vaishali MP, Veena Devi, who belongs to the ruling NDA, has two EPIC cards. The Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly in a post on X shared screenshots taken purportedly from the draft electoral rolls published in Bihar as part of Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Veena Devi is a second term MP was elected on Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) party ticket, headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan. 'She (Veena Devi) is a registered voter in the assembly seat that falls under her own Lok Sabha seat, and she is also a voter in the Muzaffarpur assembly segment falling under the parliamentary constituency of the same name. The name of her husband, Dinesh Singh, JD(U) MLC, also figures in the column meant for the spouse,' Tejaswhi wrote. Her husband also has two EPIC cards in two different assembly seats, Yadav alleged. नीतीश कुमार के खास 𝐌𝐋𝐂 श्री दिनेश सिंह का 'वोट घोटाला' उजागर:- ⛔️ श्री दिनेश सिंह लंबे समय से 𝐉𝐃𝐔 के विधानपार्षद है। ⛔️ इनके पास एक दो अलग अलग 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐃 – 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝟎𝟗𝟑𝟑𝟐𝟔𝟕 और 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐃- 𝐔𝐓𝐎𝟏𝟏𝟑𝟒𝟓𝟐𝟕 है। ⛔️ इनके दो अलग-अलग जिलों के दो अलग-अलग लोकसभा… — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 14, 2025 Veena Devi possesses two different EPIC cards—UT01134543 and GSB1037894. She has two different votes in two different Lok Sabha constituencies. Her two different EPIC cards show two different ages. In SIR, she must have filled two different enumeration forms, he alleged. 'During the voter list revision, she must have signed two different forms with two different signatures. How did she end up with two different votes, with two different ID cards in two different Lok Sabha constituencies, with two different ages in the new draft list published by the Election Commission? asked Tejashwi. Is it not a case of fraud, manipulation, and collusion by the Election Commission to ensure a victory for BJP-NDA? Yadav said. Her husband, who is JD(U) MLC, also has two EPIC cards—REM0933267 and UT01134527, alleged Yadav, adding he is also a registered voter in two different Lok Sabha seats. 'Is this not electoral fraud by EC to ensure NDA's victory? Will the EC accept these irregularities and its mistakes in SIR? Will the EC issue two different notices to Dinesh Singh from two different places?', Yadav said. The RJD leader on Wednesday had accused senior BJP leader and Muzaffarpur Mayor, Nirmala Devi and her two relatives of 'having dual voter ID cards'.
