FIR-free poll vow by Golay

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 11 Oct 2018, Gangtok: The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha president P. S. Golay on Wednesday asserted that his party wouldn't indulge in violence nor lodge any police complaint even if other parties did so in the next year's Assembly elections.

Addressing a group of lawyers who came out openly in support of the SKM here, Golay said a clear instruction had been issued to party supporters against indulging in any act of violence. "There will be no slogans of murdabad and hoshiyar either. We will make this election FIR-free," he said.

The president of the SKM, which is the main opposition party in Sikkim, said even if other parties indulged in acts of violence against his supporters, the SKM would not lodge a complaint with the police.

In the lead up to the last Assembly elections in 2014, two supporters of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Party had been killed by alleged supporters of the SKM.

Golay referred to both the killings in his speech, but insinuated that the SDF was responsible for the murders. "Sikkim has had enough of the politics of dead bodies. We are hearing there is a conspiracy to kill someone this time as well. The SDF will sacrifice its own workers to win elec- tions," he alleged. Golay said his party would usher in a politics of change by avoiding nepotism and political vendetta. "We are here to change the system, not to make individual progress. Our candidates will have to disclose their property, and once elected, they should desist from promoting their own kith and kin," he said.

The SKM president also promised to set up a welfare fund for advocates to help them establish their practices if his party came to power. "We will set up the Advocates Welfare Fund if we form the government. It takes about five to six years for a lawyer to establish his practice. We will provide fund during those initial years to ensure that the lawyers can establish their practices," he said.

Twenty-six advocates from Gangtok extended their support to the SKM. Speaking on behalf of his fellow lawyers, William Tamang said they had decided to come out openly in support of the party because they were not happy with the performance of the SDF government.

"In 2012, the SDF government had said, it would make every individual of Sikkim self-reliant, but I don't think that has happened…It is our duty to raise our voices whenever we see injustices being done," he said..