GANGTOK DOORDARSHAN EARNS OPPOSITION'S EMPHASIS

GANGTOK, April 26: The opposition political parties of the state coming to a common platform on several issues of late, once again surfaced with unanimous decision to give a deadline upto 2nd week of May to the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting to open up Doordarshan Gangtok.
The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC), Sikkim state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CPI (M), Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party and Sikkim Gorkha Prajatantrik Party (SGPP) today also prompted that failing the deadline in opening up Doordarshan Gangtok will be received as an improper briefing to the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and the state government is putting pressure not to allow the Doordarshan Gangtok to be operational, since it will lose the monopoly of broadcasting through Nayuma cable.
The state unit of Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (M) and Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad had separately written for an early opening of Gangtok Doordarshan. Besides, the Sikkim state President of Indian National Congress was also assured to open Doordarshan by February 2007 and Sikkim state President of Bharatiya Janata Party was given a written assurance for opening the Doordarshan immediately early in 2006.
A press note of the opposition parties also adds that a letter to the Union Information & Broadcasting Minister has already been sent reminding of the memorandum submitted by state unit of INC, BJP, CPI (M) and Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad including the verbal assurance given to the Sikkim state President of INC to open up by February 2007.
In the letter it is also mentioned that in the event of not opening the Doordarshan by the time given, the opposition parties will use other peaceful means to pressurise the Government of India. However, the opposition expressed its confidence that such steps will not be necessary. A copy of the letter reportedly was also sent to the Prime Minister of India and UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi for information and necessary actions.