Himalayan Times (1961)

Two

Himalayan Times

April 16, 1961

COMMUNAL VOTING SYSTEM IN SIKKIM OPPOSED

National Congress Leaders meet Nehru

Kalimpong, April 14. .

Kazi Lhondup Dorji
Khangsarpa, President of
Sikkim National Congress,
ltd a Delegation on tho
10th inst., oonsisting of
Sri Sonam Tahering, Vioe-
Prssidsnt, Sri C. O. Rai,
Councillor, Sri B. B. (in-
ning, General Seoretary
and Sri Chungahup Lb,
Mandal Dupehen Leppba,
Sri Karma Lama, Sri Man
Prasad Uprety, Sri Dil
Bahadur Cuauhan, all
Exeoutive Members of the
Sikkim National Congress,
to meet Prime M'nieter
Nehru at Raj Bhavan,
Darje'eling.

Kazi Dorji-Khangsarpa
plaoed before the Prime
Minister the matter of
Joint Electorate with
parity in Sikkim, and
requested his good offices,
in the interests ot the
elimination of internal
friotion in Sikkim. to
remove the iniquitous
oommunal voting eystem
obtaining there. The Kazi
alio stressed that the Pri-
vate Estates in Sikkim
should be brought under
one administration as the
present system also created
friotion and was against
all oanons of democracy.
Stating that the integra-
tion of the people . was

the urgent need of the
times, he said that the
Staple of Sikkim were
opposed to the present;
oommunal voting system.
Relevant documents rela-
ting to these matters were
handed over to Prime
Minister Nehru wbo gave
the Delegation a very
sympathetic hearing. The
Delegation, representing
the three communities of
Sikk m, presented a very
colourful appearanoe.

With reference to the
f rthooming- visit of a
Delegation from the Plan-
ning Commission to Silt
kirn, the Kazi stated that
it was the view of the
Sikkim National CoogresB
that under the second
Five Years Plan, it should
bt the v lltgers whoshould
be the first consideration,
as him immediate require-
ments of clean drinkirg
water, minor irrigation
projeots, terracing, dispen-
saries, roads in the villages,
schools, agricultural
sohemes, bridges, the. use
of fertilisers, etc, in the
far-flung villages, were
more urgent then any
grandiose schemes, and
that the people should
bs intimately'and actively
associated with the deve-

lopment schemes, .and
therefore a people's repro-
■ mtativewas essential on
the Development Com-
mittee. This visw would
be strongly advocated by
the Sikkim National
Congress before the visit,
ing members of the Plan-
ning Commission.

SURVEY CF BORDER
AREA'S ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS

New Delhi,.April 14
A special survey of
the economic conditions
to the India.China border
area Has been ordered by
the Planning Commission,
it is learnt.

111is* will enable the
Commission and the looal
authorities to formulate
plans for the economic
betterment of the people
living in those remote aud
mountainous regions.

While the survey will
be guided by the Com
mission's research pro-
gramme ooramittee—which
consists ot eminent eco-
nomists—the aotual "field
work" Inn been assigned
to two young economists
of Rudrapur Agricultural
University in U. P.

WHILE IN KAL1MPONG
STAY AT

CHAN DRA5 \

The melt centrally situated
Hotel in Kalimpong.