SIKKIM: No need to worry about pink card, says CD Rai

Gangtok: The All Sikkim Educated Self-employed and Unemployed Association organized Khula Bahas (open discussion) Sunday in town on Pink Card and Residential Certificate. The programme was held with Pahalman Subba in the chair.

CD Rai, veteran journalist and chief advisor of Press Club of Sikkim addressed the gathering. He said that there is “no need to worry about pink card” because we have enough time to analyze the issue. Pink Card will not disturb Sikkim Subject, he said. He further said, “We can oppose it if it has any adverse effect on the people”.

Prem Goyal, president of Nagrik Samaj, said that State Government did not issue gazette notification regarding distribution of pink card and “without notification Government is trying to impose it on the Sikkimese people”. He said Government has already started distribution of pink card in North, West and South districts. Government should equally treat all people including those who were residing before 1975 in Sikkim, he said.

Padam Sharma, general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party, Sikkim Unit, said “there is no need to discuss about the pink card because we are citizen of India”. Pink card is a minor issue but the “government is trying to keep us in the dark”, he alleged.

Dile Kaji Namgyal, treasurer of Sikkim National Peoples Party said “we have to discuss the matter with Government representative without which “it is impossible to clear doubts” on the issue.

AD Subba, president of Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party said that there is no need of pink card for the Sikkimese “because we have already Sikkim Subject”. Purna Koirala member of CPI(M) said “we all have confusion about the pink card”.

Tseten Tashi Bhutia Convener of Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) said that land Revenue Department should rectify the Sikkim Subject Register. Nawin Kiran Pradhan, president of the Association said that “this (pink card) is a sentimental issue and people were still in confusion”.

[FROM SIKKIM REPORTER/ EDITED BY ASHOK CHATTERJEE]

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Posted by VoiceofSikkim on Oct 10, 2010 | Comments (16)

Prashant Bajgain

An Open Debate: Issuing of Pink Card & Residential Certificate

An open debate on Pink-Card and Residential-Certificate under the initiative of All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed and Unemployed Association (ASESEUA) was organised at Tso-Ka-Sum, Namnang here today.

Gangtok, October 10: An open debate on Pink-Card and Residential-Certificate under the initiative of All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed and Unemployed Association (ASESEUA) was organised at Tso-Ka-Sum, Namnang here today. The debate was attended by the representatives of almost all the existing parties of the state including Sikkimese conscious society wherein a three point resolution was passed unanimously.

The resolution carries 1. The absence of state government in debate regarding Pink-Card is regretted. 2. Purification process of the historic Sikkim subject register in the custody of government must start immediately. 3. Concerning the absence of gazette notification by the state government on Pink-Card, its implementation process must be shelved immediately in the interest of all Sikkimese citizens residing in state until April 26, 1975. While all the political parties of the state were asked to join the debate, the ruling government including the major opposition party Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) did not participated.

The debate was chaired by the Former Lok sabha MP Pahalman Subba and coordinated by Journalist BP Bajgain while veteran journalist CD Rai; Treasurer of Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP), Diley Namgyal Barfunga; Vice President of Bharatya Janata Party Sikkim Unit, Padam Sharma; Former District Court Judge, Uday P Sharma; Member of Nagarik Sangharsa Samity, Prem Goyal; Legal Expert Hemlal Bhandari; President of Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP), Dr AD Subba; President of Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), Tsheten Tashi Bhutia and State Committee Member of Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM), Punya Prasad Koirala were present as the speakers. The President of ASESEUA Nabin Kiran said that the issue of Pink-Card has to be handled with care. Stressing on the importance of the debate he said that Sikkimese society is confused regarding Pink-Card which makes today’s initiative inevitable. He further said that any unlawful move of state government could give rise to agitation from association part. The points raised in the symposium by the speakers are as below:

CD Rai: Any Resolution framed by Sikkim State should not collide the Constitutution of India. Pre dominant mind is dangerous as we should firstly study the pros and cons of the Pink-Card and Residential-Certificate. Bhandari’s statement few days back that Pink-Card will replace Sikkim Subject is baseless.

Prem Goyal: Introduction of Pink-Card is intended for detaching the non Nepali business class society from Sikkim although they had been residing in the state before its merger with India. Pink-Card will act non functional outside Sikkim as it has no gazette notification and cabinet decision. Government should ensure equal status for its entire citizen before implementing any Acts in the state. Pink-Card should only be brought into force by taking all of the citizens in confidence.

Padam Sharma: Debating on Pink-Card is useless as our identity as Sikkimese was already dissolved with the government notification on April 26, 1975 after Sikkim’s merger with India. Despite introducing Pink-Card, the state government should cancel the records of approx thirty one thousands influx in state as per the data of the state government’s survey, if Pink-Card is really meant to check the flow of growing population in the state. Further, is the decision of confirming citizenship falls in the jurisdiction of the state or with the central government? Now it’s time to think on technology and world economy for the up gradation of our society rather than sticking on baseless issues.

Diley Namgyal Barfunga: One should be well versed in history of Sikkim before commenting in the very issue. The state government is acting silence even after raising protests concerning Pink-Card. Government should know accurate facts and figures before implementing Pink-Card for it may give rise to problems in near future.

Dr AD Subba: State government is trying to hypnotize the general public through the issue of Pink-Card. Government is charging Pink-Card application fee of Rs 50/- per individual even after the department for collecting the deposited charged money is not mentioned whatsoever. Further, Pink-Card will be of temporary means even after it is successfully introduced in the state.

Punya Prasad Koirala: Government should come forward to relieve the commoners from the prevalent misconceptions on Pink-Card. But the absent of government representative in the debate shows that they are confused in the whole episode, even after Pink-Card was their initiative. The Central Government is unaware of whole issue as Pink-Card has no base outside Sikkim. People in villages are being forced to apply for Pink-Card, in threatening of victimization by the government officials. The officials that leaded to thirty one thousands illegal registrations in state voter’s list should be punished at the earliest rather than introducing Pink-Card.

Tsheten Tashi Bhutia: We are the citizen’s of democratic India, so we should think of national integrity rather than involving in state related issues. Such flawless attitude of state government should give rise to extremism in near future. Government should bore the responsibility to face such debates rather than adding assets. The data of Sikkim subject holders must be scrutinized before implementing Pink-Card. State government is itself issuing certificate of identity (COI) without inputting relevant data which may leads influx in Sikkim. After all, it’s high time our youths should take the charge of Mintokgang for the upliftment of the Sikkimese society.

Uday P Sharma: The very issue has never been discussed in the assembly session nor it had any cabinet discussions. Pink-Card had no stand concerning legal values but it could follow the back door entry. Chief minister Pawan Chamling debriefed himself from the whole issue stating that the matter to be discussed and scrutinized by the conscious society, but he himself had maintained several times that Sikkim lacks conscious class.

Hemlal Bhandari: Pink-Card has no socio-economic values as it lacks necessary laws. The introduction of Pink-Card on Sikkim citizens is uncertain with the gazette notification still pending. Even the time limit concerning it’s introduction is unfixed.

The open debate was followed by question answer session wherein the curiosity of audiences regarding Pink-Card was answered by the speakers.

source;voice of sikkim