Sikkim organic mission: SKM files police complaint against Chamling

DICHEN ONGMU, EOI, Gangtok, 20 Oct 2014: The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha on Monday filed a written complaint with the police against Chief Minister Pawan Chamling accusing him of conspiring against SKM MLAs regarding his recent statement accusing opposition legislators of bringing into the state banned inorganic materials. They said if any inorganic material is found in their vehicles, it would be the handiwork of the chief minister in order to malign them.

The SKM had demanded Chamling must withdraw his statement wherein he had accused SKM MLAs of smuggling chemical fertilisers into the state in their vehicles to sabotage the state government’s organic mission. They had served him a 24-hour ultimatum to prove the allegation or to tender a public apology.

During a Press conference held late in the evening on Monday, the nine opposition MLAs said Chamling and his party were looking for ways to extract revenge on the SKM for the exposure it has made regarding misguiding the public with the organic mission. They added the chief minister would not hesitate to go to the extent of planting banned substance in their vehicles to frame them on false charges.

Siyari MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha said the government had done whatever it pleased over the last 20 years without being questioned as there was no opposition in the state. But since the SKM started to expose the SDF government’s deceitful ways, especially regarding the authenticity of the organic mission’s success, the latter was in a state of panic and could resort to whatever subterfuge means to hide its misdeeds.

He added the SKM wanted to stand as a strong opposition and supported the good initiatives taken by the government, but it would certainly not hesitate to expose any misdeed. Lepcha further said the government's claim about the organic mission being successful has been completely contradicted by Chamling’s statement where he has blamed the concerned department’s officials for lacking in effective implementation including undue delay. As the government was finding it difficult to suppress the department’s failure, the chief minister was blaming the opposition for sabotaging the mission, he said.

The SKM MLA also raised the issue of chemicals being used in the religious site Char Dham in Namchi, which is the chief minister’s constituency, stating the government's lies had been exposed as it is clear that it is using chemicals at the spot.

Martam Rumtek SKM legislator Dr. Mechung Bhutia informed that out of the 74,000 hectares of agricultural land in the state, only 46,000 hectares had been certified till date while alleging proper norms and procedures are not being followed in the certification process. He claimed the certification process took place behind closed doors and the government did not take permission from the farmers and landholders and they were also not informed when their lands would be certified.

Bhutia also disputed Chamling’s claim of the state not getting funds from the Centre for the organic mission, saying since Sikkim adopted the organic mission in 2003, all funds allotted by the Centre to the agriculture and horticulture department are being used for the organic mission. He said a total of Rs11,000 crore had been spent till date on the mission but the benefits have not reached the 60,000-odd farmers forcing them to give up farming and opt for other means of livelihood. 

The MLA urged the government to take a proper approach in implementing the mission and suggested a host of measures including provision of financial support to farmers in case of low production, organic manure for a period of five years, plant health clinics to control diseases in plants and an Information and an education and communication centre to educate farmers on the benefits of the organic mission.

The SKM MLAs concluded by stating that if no action was taken in response to the complaint, the party would be forced to file a defamation case against the chief minister.