Finance Act 2023 has killed the spirit of Article 371F,says Pawan Chamling

PRAKASH ADHIKARI, SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, APRIL 12, 2023 : Former Chief Minister of Sikkim and Sikkim Democratic Front President Pawan Chamling has said that the Finance Act2023 has killed the spirit of Article371F though Article 371F has not been repealed the way Article 370 has been repealed in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a news conference in Gangtok on Wednesday, Chamling said that the violation of Article 371 F was confirmed by the resolution passed by the Sikkim Assembly on April 10. He also said that the government forming an all-party representative team and going to the Centre on this issue was just like going to the hospital after the death of a person.

Though Chief Minister P. S. Tamang informed that an all-party delegation from the Sikkim assembly would go to the Finance Ministry in Delhi with the resolution, lone SDF MLA Pawan Chamling said he had not got any information regarding the all-party delegation yet. “If such a delegation goes to Delhi, I will think about it,” Chamling said. 

Calling for a revisit of the merger agreement of Sikkim, he said only such a revisit could be a way of reincarnating the spirit of Article 371F. 

Chamling also said that the dilution of the definition of ‘Sikkimese’ was a part of a bigger conspiracy for a greater Sikkim. “That’s why thereis more talk happening in neighbouring areas rather than in Sikkim,” Chamling said