The Sikkim Against Citizenship Amendment Act (SACAA) on Monday reiterated that the forum firmly rejects implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Sikkim and also sought implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State.
Interacting with media at Press Club of Sikkim in Gangtok, representatives of the newly formed SACAA, Navin Kiran Pradhan, Passang Sherpa, Sonam Gyatso Sherpa, Chewang Rinzing and Yehang Tsong outlined the forum’s objectives and demand.
Passang said it was unfortunate that state chief minister P S Golay continues to pass on only verbal assurances given by the Centre on CAA and Sikkim.
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“We regret that the chief minister has accepted the verbal assurances though nothing has come in writing regarding exemption for Sikkim from CAA,” he said.
“At a time when there is no data with the government on influx of migrant labourers in Sikkim and when people here are hoping for an ILP system in Sikkim, it is unfortunate that our Chief Minister did not spoke on ILP during his address at Rolu yesterday,” Passang added.
“We have only two demands – exemption for Sikkim in writing and ILP system in Sikkim,” he reiterated.
Navin Kiran mentioned that some north-eastern States have been given exemption based on ILP while Assam and Tripura are strongly protesting against the CAA.
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“This leaves Sikkim as the only north-eastern State having its door open for CAA. Hence we cannot sit quietly and have no worries, just because we have been given verbal assurances. We want ILP system in Sikkim in lines with Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873 like done in other Northeastern States,” he said.
The SACAA representatives also condemned the statements made by the state BJP unit at the press meet on Sunday.
“We question them whether this is the time to blame us instead of going to Delhi and working on Sikkim’s concerns on CAA,” they said.
Chewang Rinzing and Sonam Gyatso said all political parties in Sikkim should work together in the interests of Sikkim and Sikkimese people.
We should rise above party politics and take forward what is good for Sikkim, they said.