Opp parties slam Chamling doublespeak

SNS, Gangtok, 18 July 2013: The Democratic Alliance of Sikkim (DAS), comprising several Opposition parties, has slammed Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, calling him a double-faced charlatan for his intriguing silence on the emotive issue of Income Tax exemption writ petition. 

The DAS today asserted a need for a meeting to discuss the sensitive issue of the petition filed by the seven old settlers of Sikkim in the Supreme Court, demanding Income Tax exemption for the community. 

The state government must spell out its definite stance on the issue in a bid to ease tension, the DAS leaders said in unison. Mr Nar Bahadur Khatiwada, a veteran leader, said the state government must call a meeting involving the opposition parties apart from the intellectuals, civil society members and the academicians to discuss on how to ease tension. 

“The question that keeps tormenting the people is why the state government has been maintaining a stony silence for the past eight weeks.” he said. 

“The state government must file a counter reply in the Supreme Court after broaching the matter with the Centre,” he added. The DAS convenor, Mr Nakool Das Rai, said the state government being an ultimate representative of the people should already have initiated a serious discourse on the issue. 

Mr Rai further informed that they would soon talk to the villagers to make them aware of the nitty-gritty of the matter. 

“The petition is a threat to their identity,” he added. The president of Sikkim National People’s Party, a constituent of DAS, Mr Biraj Adhikari, said it is time for people to come out and speak up for their own good. 

“The Article 371-F is intact but the problem is with its implementation,” he said. “People must speak out now if they do not want to remain tagged as foreigners in their own land,” he added.