Himalayan Times (1959)

^wl>g>n Oftm.. September 13, 1950

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Kditor ia not reaponuiblu for views Mpreaatfd in thia column.

JUSTICE............A LA SIKKIMESE I

Sir, In the Sikkim
Darbar Gazette, dated
Gangtok, 4th September,
1959, there appears what
muit surely constitute
the most ahooking exam-
ple of partiality ever
evinced in the politioal
' life of any country. Here
are three politiciane, all
oonvicted by an Eleotion
tribunal of the identical
offenoe of "oorrupt prac-
tices" at the last election
in Sikkim, all signatories
to the same memorial
and, therefore, persons all
sailing in the same boat !
To the shock and sur-
prise of the people of
Sikkim. the discriminatory
taint of this Order, in
whioh two memoirs are
unseated and disqualified
for a period of six months,
whoress the third mem-
ber is unseated and dio-
qualifed for a period of
three years, has left a
sikkim wide trail of sus-
picion and bitterness that
will not easily be eradi-
cated without muoh fur-
ther elucidation

What oan be the

meaning of this blatant
partiality, this travesty

of justice T

It had been conclu-
sively proved that - a
"m?roy petition" on the

final decision of an Elec-
tion Tribunal could not
lie, had no jurisdiction,
and was misconceived,
for an Election Tribunal
is neither a civil ne r a
oriminal case, in both of
which H. H. The Maha-
raja of Sikkim has reser-
ved to himself the prero-
gative of mercy.

1 he point at issue
is to ascertain what the
people of Sikkim think
of this obvicus travesty
of justice. 1 bey will
surely think, and even
now it ia being heard,
that if suoh an injustice
ia perpetrated upon Mr.
Sonam Tiering today,
then equally possible in-
justices might be prrpe-
tratrd upon any of them
tomorrow ! For, if tbia
is the pa.ltrrn of justice
to be set up as a pre-
cedent, how cfn they
think otbei wise ?

A deep probe is ur-
gently required into the
true state of affairs now
obtaining in fikkim In
justice and interfe-
rence, can never be
tolerated anywhere, and
it is oertain that the
newly awakened people
of Sikkim will never sit
back quietly while all
these are taking place

INDIA-BHUTAN ROAD
LINK TO BE BUILT
Calcutta, Sept. 9
With a view te pre.
viding an inter communi-
cation link between Bhu-
tan and India, the West
Bengal Government de-
cided on Monday that
the construction of the
Jainti-HuxH DuarGein-
gola Koad, about 30 miles
in length, in Jalpaiguri
District, shculd be under-
taken immediately saya
a Press Note. The total
cost is estimated at He.
87 lakhs, of which the
Centre will bear the f.nen-
cial liability fir Be. 36
lakbs. 1 be State Govern-
ment alio sanotie red the
creation of an additional
organization in theNcrth
Beige) Boad Construction
Division to look after
the above woik.

in their own land. How-
ever contemptuously the
powers that be may look
upon the various politi-
cal parties I am sure
that each one, in its own
way, is trying its beat
to build a better and
more democratic Sikkim,
where ' absolutirm" ie a
thing of the psst, and
wbeie eveiy oitizen baa
the right to air his grie-
vances and be assured
of a sympathetic under-
standing. Yours etc Ka-
zini Dorji Kbarginia of
Chakhung.