GANGTOK, Aug 8: Nine supporters of the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad, including three women, were arrested by the police today on charges of burning the effigy of chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling at Deorali here. The three women have been identified as Mrs Amrita Pradhan, Mrs Sumitra Rai and Mrs Manu Subba, while the others arrested are Mr Tashi Topgey Bhutia, Mr Bhim Chettri, Mr Prem Bahadur Karadiya, Mr Dhan Bahadur Mangar, Mr Man Bahadur Subba and Mr Man Bahadur Subba.
Members of Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad — a regional party in the state — today dodged the police and burnt the effigy of the chief minister. They were protesting against alleged efforts by the government to suppress the Opposition and its failure to resolve the crisis over the setting up of hydel projects in the Lepcha reserve of Dzongu.
According to an eyewitness, the SHRP supporters came suddenly from the alley in Deorali with an effigy of chief minister that had petrol on it. “They burnt it when they reached the roadside of NH-31A near Khadi Bhawan. They chanted slogans demanding that the Governor should resign and leave Sikkim while the chief minister must judge the Lepchas’ hunger strike“, he said. As of today, the protestors have only been detained, booked under the 34 Police Act and made to undergo a medical examination. The police will produce them in the court tomorrow. SP East Mr MS Tulli, said: “Their main intention is just to create nuisance for political motivation”. Earlier, four members of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) were arrested for burning the effigy of Governor Mr V Rama Rao. They were identified as Mr JB Darnal party general secretary of the South district, SPCC committee, Mr Tashi Bhutia (Polo), Mr Palden Sherpa and Mr Bikram Rai. Police had prior information of today’s programme and had made elaborate plans to prevent it. A large police contingent was stationed outside the party headquarters at Tadong. The site was about 800m from Sikkim Government College where Chamling was attending the celebrations of Tendong Lho Rum faat, a Lepcha festival.
Parishad supporters, however, successfully torched the effigy at Deorali some 1.5km above Tadong. The protesters, led by Bhim Chettri, the publicity secretary of the party, shouted slogans against the chief minister and the governor during the episode.
“Nine persons have been arrested for causing nuisance on the highway and disrupting traffic. They have been booked under Section 34 of the IPC,” said M.S. Tuli, the superintendent of police (east).
At the Lepcha festival Chamling hit out at the Opposition accusing them of using the protest by Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) as a political tool to mislead the people.
Sikkim Congress president Nar Bahadur Bhandari retaliated by alleging that the government had failed to resolve the crisis over the hydel power projects and criticised the governor and the chief minister for not meeting the fasting ACT members.
The 21 Congress supporters who courted arrest yesterday and the four picked up earlier in connection with the burning of the governor’s effigy have been produced in court and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days. They were sent to the state jail at Rongyek, yesterday.
Parishad supporters, however, successfully torched the effigy at Deorali some 1.5km above Tadong. The protesters, led by Bhim Chettri, the publicity secretary of the party, shouted slogans against the chief minister and the governor during the episode.
“Nine persons have been arrested for causing nuisance on the highway and disrupting traffic. They have been booked under Section 34 of the IPC,” said M.S. Tuli, the superintendent of police (east).
At the Lepcha festival Chamling hit out at the Opposition accusing them of using the protest by Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) as a political tool to mislead the people.
Sikkim Congress president Nar Bahadur Bhandari retaliated by alleging that the government had failed to resolve the crisis over the hydel power projects and criticised the governor and the chief minister for not meeting the fasting ACT members.
The 21 Congress supporters who courted arrest yesterday and the four picked up earlier in connection with the burning of the governor’s effigy have been produced in court and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days. They were sent to the state jail at Rongyek, yesterday.
