Gangtok: The sleepy capital Gangtok came alive on Monday morning when hundreds of members and supporters of Sikkim Democratic Front descended here on August 13,2007 in a long procession of Vehicles carrying SDF flag to show support and solidarity to Sikkim Chief Minister and also to demonstrate a show of strength of SDF through this public rally with a purpose to enthuse confidence among the people who were lately witnessing an atmosphere of anti-SDF and anti-government created by Opposition Political parties lately with incidence like effigy burning ,public procession etc.
Huge crowds had gathered despite rainy weather at Guards Grounds where SDF Supremo Dr. Pawan Chamling delivered a key address.Dr. Chamling said, the opposition parties have fallen in the eyes of Sikkimese people. As such, they are now hiring the ‘mercenaries’ from outside the State to create confusion among the people. He said, ‘no matter how much the opposition parties try to malign our govt. and the SDF party, we will be always in the hearts of Sikkimese people.’He called the hunger strike by the ACT members as a ‘conspiracy’ against the ongoing development activities in the State. ‘Hydro electricity projects slated for Dzongu will not be scrapped under any circumstances’, the Chief Minister said.
Dr. Chamling said, Sikkim is under compulsion to generate revenue for which the govt. has thought of developing power projects in the State. ‘Power generation is the only way to take Sikkim to the path of self-reliance by 2015’, he said. Together with the tourism industry the power sector will earn over one thousand crore of revenue and also generate more than ten thousand employments, Dr. Chamling stressed.The Chief Minister further informed that 35 percent of State budget has been earmarked for the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribe of the State. ‘We have carved a niche in context of development. The govt. at Centre has been appreciating our developmental efforts and giving Sikkim’s example to other States’, he said
“Industrialisation and Development would continue in the state. No protests can stop it from happening .Sikkim has to move forward and all developmental activities is being undertaken for the sake of Sikkimese and Those talking against development are anti Sikkim and not the people from Sikkim but from outside the state" He told the people who were clapping.Chief Minister Dr. Chamling while commenting on ACT told the massive gathering that ACT is front of a group of political minded people who have all come together to use platform of NGO for their political ambitions and Lepchas associated with these organisations are not from Dzongu but from across the border of Sikkim and are raising crores of rupees from different sources in the name of environment ,lepchas and Dzongu. The public faces of ACT are not in the control of ACT as they are being guided by people with mask and behind curtains with political motives. He said, “Hunger Strike is a method chosen by ACT to collect crores of rupees from various sources”.
The Opposition parties have nothing to offer to people of Sikkim and Sikkim itself as they lacks any ethos, principles, and plans and programmes that could benefit masses of Sikkim.The biggest hazard to environment is human poverty,biggest disease of mankind is also poverty.The financial freedom through development can only result to bringing a sense of progress and prosperity .These hydel projects are way out for state to make economic development and people should be grateful that Sikkim using its natural resources like water,rivers etc. would be able to bring revenue and resources that could solve the problem of rising unemployment, better infrastructure and prosperity to all through the hydro power projects.
The SDF put up a show of strength by staging a this massive Rally Gangtok thus censuring the Opposition parties of Sikkim for what they called a mischievous and baseless campaign to malign image of SDF government.Here is our political strength," Chief Minister told the crowd.He said Sikkim Democratic Front would move forward despite all the obstacles created by any forces in opposition.He has been voted to power for 15 years and therefore does not need any certificate from all those who have launched a campaign against him and his party for all baseless issues and lies.The SDF would again prove itself in oncoming Panchaayat and Municipal elections.Recalling the developments achieved during the 13-year SDF rule he slammed the opposition parties for misleading the people of Sikkim. ‘Any interference with the developmental activities will not be tolerated’, he thundered, adding, “the decision of the people will be final and the people of Sikkim now want development at any cost,’ he asserted.He further said that to run a government the State needs revenue which can be generated through development of power projects. ‘If there is no development, how can we pay the employees? How can we meet the expenditures?’ he asked The govt. has only tried to make the best possible use of under and un-utilized lands for developmental activities, he informed. Referring to global warming, Dr. Chamling said, harnessing of hydro power is the cleanliest process which has no negative impact on the nature. Pointing towards ACT, he alleged that it is a pawn in the hands of opposition parties who are using it for their personal gain. He also criticized Gorkha Democratic Front and Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Association for playing communal card in Sikkim. He said, these parties are interested only to foment communal violence in Sikkim. He urged the people to remain away from these parties.A large number of police personnel were deployed to prevent any untoward incidents in the town. The TNA playground turned into a massive Car Parking area.The Markets in Gangtok worn a deserted looks and roads were crowded with vehicles moving towards Guards Ground near West Point School.
