Gangtok: The Joint Action Council (JAC) has announced a one-day Sikkim Ekta Diwas on March 8 at MG Marg.
The day will be celebrated across various districts in the state to commemorate the unity of Sikkimese people in response to the recent ‘Immigrant’ row.
The JAC has invited people to join in the Holi celebrations as well, which coincides with the event, as a gesture of unity.
The JAC has announced that invitations will be sent to schools, colleges, associations, community organizations, and political parties for the Sikkim Ekta Diwas celebration on March 8 at MG Marg.
However, a recent State government notification has imposed restrictions on activities in the MG Marg premises from March 5 onwards in preparation for the upcoming G20 events in mid-March.
When questioned about this issue, JAC spokesperson Sonam Sherpa stated that the G20 will also showcase Sikkimese culture and identity, and therefore, they are not seeking any permission. They will inform the District Magistrate and Sikkim Police about the celebration at MG Marg, but regardless of the notification, the celebration will still take place.
Regarding the celebration coinciding with the Holi festival, Sherpa stated that they welcome the Holi celebration along with Sikkim Ekta Diwas and are not opposing any religious festival. The focus of the celebration is on the unity of the Sikkimese people rather than any specific religious event. In the past, a similar gathering was held during the Pang Lhabsol festival, which was a celebration of Sikkimese unity. However, the festival is not celebrated with the same enthusiasm these days.
The JAC also highlighted the significance of the 8th of March, citing the 8th May Agreement as a basis for considering the number lucky for Sikkim.
They pointed out that Sikkim is represented by 8 lucky symbols, and that the 8th May Agreement and IT exemption for Sikkimese people both occurred on the 8th day. In contrast, they noted that unfortunate events have often occurred in years and days with the number 3.
For instance, 1973 and 1993 were not good years for Sikkim, with the latter being when the immigrant tag was first imposed by a Supreme Court verdict. Similarly, on January 13, 2023, Sikkim was once again labelled as an immigrant by another verdict.
The JAC emphasized the need to continue the fight against the distortion of Sikkimese terms, both legally and socially.
In another controversy on Wednesday, where a suggestion made by Apex Body of Indian Origin People of Sikkim on Inner Line Permit, inclusive of Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim has opposed the implementation of ILP in Sikkim.
The suggestion made by the Apex Body of Indian Origin People of Sikkim regarding the implementation of an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Sikkim lists 11 reasons why it should not be implemented.
These include economic slowdown and stagnation in technological advancement, rising unemployment, increased labour costs, decreased tax collection, a decrease in investment sentiment by entrepreneurs, and a less desirable status as a tourist destination. The suggestion also notes that Sikkim’s social integration and harmony may be hindered, and its ease of doing business status may be downgraded.
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These reasons are compared to other Northeastern states that have implemented ILP, which have seen a diminishing trend in tourist numbers.
The JAC condemned the suggestion made by the Apex Body of the Indian Origin People of Sikkim regarding the implementation of an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Sikkim. The JAC referred to the suggestion as an anti-Sikkimese activity, stating that ILP is in favour of the Sikkimese people and that the concerns raised by the Apex Body are in favour of the influx of outsiders into the state.
The JAC further added that no business is more important than the identity of Sikkimese natives and that the suggestion shows that the business community has no concern for national security but is more focused on making money. Sherpa made these statements in response to the suggestion.
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