Sikkim: Limbu Tamang Voluntary Committee threatens ‘No Seat, No Vote’ for SKM

The LTVC added that if the Sikkim government had exercised good conscience and sincerity, they would have fulfilled their pre-poll promises

The Limbu Tamang Voluntary Committee (LTVC) has threatened to abstain from voting for the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government in the upcoming assembly elections in Sikkim and has accused the state government of not submitting any new proposals or formulas to the centre on the demand for Limbu Tamang seat reservation

LTVC has taken a stand of ‘No Seat, No Vote’ for the upcoming polls.

The committee was recently in New Delhi where they submitted a memorandum focusing on the immediate necessity for the reservation of seats for Limbu and Tamang communities in the Sikkim Assembly before the 2024 elections. LTVC approached several central ministries including the Prime Minister’s Office, President’s Office, Minister of Home Affairs, Election Commission of India and Minister of Tribal Affairs besides others on the seat reservation.

The LTVC added that if the Sikkim government had exercised good conscience and sincerity, they would have fulfilled their pre-poll promises to the LT communities and proposed a new formula for seat reservation.

The LTVC further claimed that the visit of a delegation of 12 indigenous communities led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang to New Delhi demanding reservation of Limbu Tamang communities in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly was nothing more than a political stunt before elections.

It may be mentioned here that various groups and organisations representing both communities have been pushing for 6 separate Limbu Tamang tribal seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. In November, last year the LTVC had decided to boycott the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha(SKM) government. Both the communities are unhappy with the PS Tamang government since the SKM had promised to fulfil the demand within 10 days of coming to power, but has failed to do so till today.

On September 22, 2018, Law Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha, had presented a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sikkim requesting for his insights in resolving the issue. This letter implored the Prime Minister to offer assistance in resolving the issue of LT seat reservation. Despite these efforts, the committee formed by the SKM party, under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, is yet to make public its report or the formula to be implemented.

Also Read: Sikkim: CM Tamang bats for inclusion of Lepcha, Bhutia and Limboo languages under 8th Schedule

COMMENTS