Sikkim Democratic Front warns Dzongu ‘long marchers’

We don’t want any interference: SG Lepcha

14 Nov, Mangan: Feeling of resentment have already developed among the people of North Sikkim over the piligrimage of Lepchas from Darjeeling region to Dzongu proposed from this Thursday with the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) at the forefront warning the players of the ‘long march’ not to meddle in internal affairs of Dzongu.
The warning was explicitely issued during the constituency level meetings of the ruling front held at Mangan on November 12 and at Namprikdang , Dzongu yesterday which was attended by Chief Minister’s political advisor Hissey Lachungpa as the chief guest.
The meeting were coordinated by the Dzongu legistlature SG Lepcha and lachen-Mangan legislature TW Lepcha and attended by host of North Sikkim SDF functionaries and party supporters.Addressing the two meeting, Lachungpa first complimented the two legislatures for their dedication to the people and development of Dzongu and Lachen-Mangan constituency. All of us are equal and our target is to make Sikkim most progressive state by 2015 as per the vision laid by SDF government, said Lachungpa laying trust on more revenue generation sources like Hydel power. He said that the government has taken up the issue of bad road condition in North Sikkim with Border Road Organization.Then the political advisor warned the outsiders not to interfere in the developmental activities of Dzongu indicating towards the Lepchas from Darjeeling region into Dzongu ‘Long March II’.
The Dzongu MLA and also the State Power and Energy Minister SG Lepcha expressed his concern over the pilgrimage of Lepchas from Darjeeling region under the Banner of Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA). The people of Dzongu are against the so called piligrimage, he said.

Informing that last year, the Lepchas from Kalimpong and Darjeeling had torched his effigy at Kalimpong, the Dzongu legislature questioned the rationale of the long march. They don’t like the people and MLA of Dzongu and so what is the reason to visit Dzongu, he questioned.

SG Lepcha pointed out that the people of Dzongu had not allowed the Lepchas from Darjeeling to enter into Dzongu last year. If anything goes wrong this time, the ILTA president PT Simik will be responsible, he said. We are working on the development of Dzongu and we do not want any disturbances in the developmental activities, he said.

It may be noted that the Lepchas from kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong and other parts of Darjeeling are posing to conduct a pilgrimage to Dzongu on November 19. They are planning to march Namprikdang from Rangpo.
The proposed pilgrimage has an ugly history when in April last year; the Lepchas from Darjeeling aborted their march midway to Dzongu due to open hostilities from the Lepchas of Dzongu.Anti Hydel debate was seriously surging at high at that period super headed by Affected Citizen of Sikkim (ACT) and the pilgrimage was seen as interference into internal matters of Dzongu by the people backed to the hilt by ruling establishment.
How ever ILTA president has asserted that this time the pilgrimage is purely religious one and nothing else.And this time, the pilgrimage have taken a top down approach and have approached the Union Home Ministry , Tribal Affairs Ministry and All India Adhivashi Vikash Parishad for the permission to take a three day pilgrimage to Dzongu, the last bastion of Indigenous Lepchas.ILTA has expressed its desire to march from Kalimpong to Darjeeling from November

19 to November 21. The body has also submitted our request and notified that Sikkim Government including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary. North District

Administration and Police along with the Kalimpong subdivision and Darjeeling district administration.The ILTA president has expressed its hope that the Lepchas of Sikkim will extend a warm welcome to their Lepchas brothers separated by geographical boundaries.