No Sikkim bandh on March 4: Golay - The SKM had earlier called a Sikkim bandh on March 4 to deny the SDF the chance to observe its foundation day

SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, MARCH 3, 2023: There will be no Sikkim bandh on March 4. Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay announced in Rangpo on Friday.

The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha had earlier called a Sikkim bandh on March 4 to deny the opposition Sikkim Democratic Front the chance to observe its foundation day in a big way. This was a tit-for-tat policy against SDF president and former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling calling a Sikkim bandh on February 4 and 5, on the foundation day of SKM.

"Instead of celebrating its foundation day, SDF is observing a Shok Diwas (day of mourning) on its foundation day,” Golay observed. 

“To observe Shok Diwas now on their foundation day is out of fear that less number of people will turn up on their foundation day. Apart from Chamling's own family members, there are hardly 500 people supporting SDF now."

He said Chamling's call for Sikkim Bandh on the foundation day of SKM had failed miserably as every shop, commercial establishments and even offices had remained open.

“In retaliation we had declared bandh on the foundation day of SDF. But now I declare that we will not be calling for bandh, we do not want revenge politics. 

With such a small group of supporters, we will not stand in the way of their call for Shok Diwas."

Urging Chamling to 'gracefully retire' from politics, Golay said: "The only reason Chamling is not retiring is he wants his Harvard educated daughter Komal Chamling to make debut in electoral politics in 2024. 

He is trying to promote his daughter as Harvard educated future leader of Sikkim, we welcome her to politics. But prior to her entry, we question as to how his daughter was shortlisted for government's scholarship scheme worth Rs. 22 lakh, when she didn't fall in Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.”