Himalayan Times (1959)

l!l nil n 1« l* nu lli.r.f*

Novcmbi r 15, 1959

LETTERS TO THE KDiTOR

The Editor is not rcs'i Jiisi'ite for viuws expressed in this column.

POLITICS IN SIKKIM

Sir, In H recent inter
.view, on his return from
Moscow. the Maharaj
Kumar of .Sikkim is repor-
ted to have slated that
there was no political
unrest in Sikkim and that
"some disgruntled political
leaders were trying to take
advantage of the situation
for personal gain." If
this is the correct render
in^ of his alleged stale
ment, published only re-
cently, ivhich has given
rise to much righteous
in lignation throughout
Sik im, then I can only
say that it is as iriespon.
sible as it is defamatory.

It is true that ■ the
political leaders of Sikkim
are unhappy, but not for
the reasons allegedly
ascribed lo them by the
Kumar; Does the Maharaj
Kumar wish to suggest
that the political leaders'
o! the four political parties
■ of Sikkim, namely the
National Party, the Swa-
tantra Dal, the State Cong-
ress, the Scheduled Caste
League, who met at the
now historic Melli Conven-
tion, and jointly, and with
perfect amity, and with
one' voice, passed their
Resolutions for a responsible
G ivernment and stated (he
urgent necessity for a

Constitution, are all men
motivated by the desire
for personal gain only ?
Is it not a fact that some
of these defamed leaders
are men who have made
great" personal sacrifices
with a view to ameliorating
conditions in their country ?

If the questions of
"personal gain" is to be
seriously considered, then,
indeed, a whole volume
could be Written on this
subject, aided, perhaps, by
the body of anti-corruption
officers who have been
diligently working in Sikkim
for many months past
now. What is this "cor-
ruption in high places"
referred to in a recently
published article on Sikkim?
Who is responsible for it,
and who benefited ?

And in the areas of
Sikkim that have been
designated ' for Lepchas
only", w ho are the owners
of . the 1>iggest cardamum
gardens ? The standard of
living in Sikkim is in no
way higher than that
obtaining in Nepal today.
The myth of there being
"no unemployment and no-
body in" rags" could very
easily by exploded bv a
visit to some of the Lepcha
villages . in the interior,
where, this very year, the

starving villagers were
bartering one maund of
candamums valued at Rs.
go/, for one maund of
coarse rice valued at
Rs. 30'.

I totally disagree with
the assertion that "we are
progressing very fast too."
How can there be any
true progress in the
absence of any known
laws and where there is
no Constitution ? What
about the recent travesty
of justice vis-a-vis the
Election Tribunal judgment
and memorial ?

The Maharaj Kumar
bases hi: view on the
fact that a political "thaw"
has set in in Russia because
be |ws, apparently,
eminently Successful m
persuading some Russians
to accept his "tips"! To
arrive at a conclusion that
a political lh»w has set
in by the yardstick of the
acceptance or non-accep-
tance of tips is surely very
juvenile, and appears lo be
in consonance with his
reasoning that the political
leader's ' of Sikkim are
"trying' to take advantage
of the situation for
personal gain " ft is tru'y
astonishing that such totally
irresponsible statements
should have emahat«d from
one . who should surety
know better. One can
only come to the conclu-
sion that the exhilaration
(Oonlinu"il 011 pnge (!)