Gangtok: Twenty-two Congress workers courted arrest at Sadar police station today.
Demanding an immediate release of 4 congress supporters who were arrested by Sikkim Police on issue of effigy burning of Sikkim Governor, The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee has one of its top leader Major Gyatso along with 21 congress members gave courting arrests at Gangtok Sadar Thana. The Sikkim Police after arresting Major Gyatso along with supporters sent them for medical checks and later on produced before Court.The jail bharo abhiyan was launched to express solidarity with four party members, arrested earlier for burning the effigy of governor V. Rama Rao last Saturday.
Today’s protest was led by the Sikkim Congress vice-president Major T. Gyatso in the presence of senior party functionaries including chief of Seva Dal Norbu Pintso Bhutia. All those courting arrest claimed they were also present at the site where the effigy was burnt.
“The people, who were taken into custody, have given their statements and have been sent for medical examination. We will begin investigations after producing them in court,” the superintendent of police (East), M.S. Tuli, told media.
“The people, who were taken into custody, have given their statements and have been sent for medical examination. We will begin investigations after producing them in court,” the superintendent of police (East), M.S. Tuli, told media.
There was however, confusion regarding the presence of the lone Congress member in the Sikkim Assembly, Acharya Tshering Lama, in the police station. The Acharya told reporters that though he had gone to the police station to court arrest he had been dissuaded by the police chief.
“I was told by the police that to arrest an elected representative they had to take prior permission from the Speaker of the Assembly,” the Acharya claimed.
Police officials said the Acharya was there only to extend support.
“I was told by the police that to arrest an elected representative they had to take prior permission from the Speaker of the Assembly,” the Acharya claimed.
Police officials said the Acharya was there only to extend support.
At an emergency meeting here, the SPCC also announced plans for protests and demonstrations against arrests of Congress members as well as in support of ACT indefinite hunger strike.SPCC President Nar Bahadur Bhandari announced an agitational programme including satyagraha and courting arrest by its more members tomorrow also.
The Congress meeting, chaired by Nar BahadurBhandari adopted a party stand condemning the arrests by Sikkim Police suo moto of its members and demanding their immediate release.The arrests of Congress members is illegal and politically motivated and The indefinite hunger strike by ACT is the most glaring and cruel example of the anti-people policies of the SDF government,” he said.
He also informed of the receipt of letters from Congress President SoniaGandhi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil on the agitation of Affected Citizens of Teesta against Hydel projects in north sikkim .The Home Minister has informed that matter is being investigated and looked into by his ministry .
