Achyra vs Chamling in Sikkim Assembly

GANGTOK, Feb 24: Despite pitted against 31 MLAs of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party, lone opposition MLA Acharya Tshering Lama had been rattling the ruling party in the State Assembly over these five years,
On several occasions, the Sangha MLA had crossed swords with the Leader of the House Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and had on one occasion staged a black flag protest coupled with ‘search for democracy with a torchlight’ antic in the Assembly.
Acharaya Lama maintained his temperament today also, the final day of the Seventh Assembly though in much soft note.
Participating in the dissuasions during the proceedings of the House, the Sangha MLA expressed his torment over his raised issues being washed away by the overwhelming odds of the 31 MLAs of the ruling party.
“I tried my best to raise the issues of the people during my five year stint in the Assembly. I was present in all the sessions for the people as I was the only opposition MLA except for one occasion when I had some urgent work”, said Acharya Lama. However, all the issues raised by me in the House was overturned into a mess of untruth by brute majority of the ruling party and all my demands were overlooked, he added.
The Sangha MLA also raised the issue of ‘Satyagraha’ by Affected Citizens of Teesta and the arrest of one senior monk and several Lepchas from Dzongu by police.
Having raised his issues, Acharya Tshering Lama departed from the Assembly as usual without awaiting a response in the post-lunch session.
Dzongu MLA Sonam Gyatso Lepcha was the first to react to the comments passed by the lone Sangha MLA.
“Since this issue concerns Dzongu which is my constituency, I want to clarify that the Lepchas from Dzongu have not been thrown in the jail by the Chief Minister. They were jailed as per the rules and laws of the land”, said Mr. Lepcha. Over the arrest of the monk as raised by Acharya Lama, it is better that the particular monk should not be involved in activities unbecoming of his stature as a monk, he said.
In the post lunch session, the Chief Minister touched on the allegations raised by the Sangha MLA.
“Acharya Lama has only leveled charges against the State government in these 5 years in the Assembly. For five years, he has consistently spoken negatively and never touched a positive note”, countered Mr. Chamling.
Over the demands raised by the Sangha MLA which also includes a Sangha seat in the Parliament, the Chief Minister advised him to first understand which demands falls under the State list, concurrent list and Central list ‘instead of merely accusing the State government to fulfill his duties as an opposition member’.
Stating that Acharya Lama was twisting issues to mislead the people, the Chief Minister expressed his bewilderment over the demand for a Sangha seat in the Parliament. ‘How can the Chief Minister do such thing which is not under the Constitution? I have to follow the Constitution which also protects the old laws of Sikkim and so there is a Sangha seat in the Sikkim’, he said.
“He is not coming back in the next Assembly and tried his best to mislead the people in the final sitting of this Assembly”, Mr. Chamling said adding that the Sangha MLA was also trying to send a wrong message over the arrest of one monk from Dzongu in the recent Lingzya incident.
“If any monk has been arrested then it has been done as per law and law will take its own course. Nobody is above law and if anyone breaks the law then he has to face the law”, clarified Mr. Chamling on the monk arrest issue raised by the Sangha MLA.
Commenting on the ‘Satyagrahis’ argument presented by Acharya Lama to the protests of Affected Citizens of Teesta, Mr. Chamling categorically ruled out the use of ‘Satyagrahis’ nomenclature.
“They are not Satyagrahis as there in favour of false things. We want to develop Sikkim and make it an affluent State. They are trying to set up roadblocks to the development of Sikkim and Sikkimese people. They are against Sikkim and Sikkimese people”, said Mr. Chamling.
“Under no circumstances, we will compromise with them in the larger interests of Sikkimese people and Sikkim. We will not accept blackmail tactics in the name of North Sikkim people. We won’t compromise with the reactionary elements”.
The Chief Minister said that hydel power has changed the developmental dimension of Sikkim.