PINK CARD IN SIKKIM

SNPP slams over ‘Pink Card’, readies for boycott of Municipal Election

source:VoiceofSikkim

18 March, Gangtok: The party held a meeting today to discuss the “pink card” issue and the upcoming Municipal elections. The party finds the new system of issuing pink cards to be against the interest of the Sikkimese people as the already confused identity of the Sikkimese people will be further diluted by such a step. The meeting found it surprising that the pink cards contain the same data which is already there in the Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) and finds this repetition a waste of public money. It also feels that there are ulterior motives behind this move which would, on the long run, make the SSC redundant. This would ultimately lead to a situation when the Sikkim Subject Certificate shall no longer be needed and shall die a quiet death if it is not opposed by the public. The people of Sikkim have to remember that in the past the SDF Government has been increasingly going against the spirit of Article 371F and has been violating its provisions repeatedly and this move may be seen as one of them which will go on to crush the Sikkimese identity.

The meeting also discussed the upcoming municipal election and it was commonly felt that till the status of the “Old Business Community” is settled, the elections should not be held. It felt that this section of the Sikkimese who are mostly residing in the urban areas shall be the most affected and till a solution is founds, the Municipal Elections shall harm their interest. The members also felt that despite stringent old laws which are in existence due to Article 371F, the Government of Sikkim has found backdoors to sell rural land to exploitative projects and companies and feels this will open the floodgates for land transfer in urban areas which will go against the interest of the local people.

The meeting further discussed the fact that even the electoral rolls as well as election formalities are not in harmony with the constitutional stipulations. It is a fact that the Constitution recognizes the assembly which was formed in 1974, before the merger, and it should be understood that only Sikkim subjects should be eligible to stands for elections as a consequence. But though the SSC is required for mundane things like a trade license, it is not required for a candidate for elections which is totally violative of the spirit of Article 371F and the 8th May Agreement of 1973. Till such things are specified, the party feels it shall be suicidal for the Sikkimese people to go ahead with these Municipal elections.

After much discussions on the agenda, the following resolution was passed unanimously.

Resolution 1: Resolved unanimously that the “pink card” introduced by the SDF Government is totally against the letter and spirit of Article 371F and the party condemns it as such and demands that the Scheme be withdrawn immediately. The party also appeals to the public at large not to co-operate with this scheme as this would lead towards the removal of the Sikkim Subject Certificate from the official lexicon finally.

Resolution 2: Resolved unanimously that the party shall boycott the Municipal elections and shall not put up any candidates till the status of the old business community is settled and eligibility criteria for candidates are reworked in line with the letter and spirit of Article 371F and the 8th May Agreement. Also resolved unanimously to appeal to all sections of Sikkimese society and all political parties to condemn and boycott these elections so that any elections which are held shall not have any legitimacy,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3,15,693 Sikkim Subject holders with Vol No and Serial No in Sikkim

SOURCE:VoiceofSikkim

12 March, Gangtok: A meeting was held today at Community Center Gayzing regarding the issue of Pink Card to the bonafide Sikkimese and the meeting was conducted by the State Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department. The program preceded by Mr. T. N. Dhakal Deputy Secretary of the Department and was attended by District Collector Mr. Santa Kumar Pradhan, SDM, Mrs. Hondala Gyalsten, Upadhakshaya Mr. B. B. Bista, other officials and Panchayat member and Panchayat RDA.

The meeting stated the need for awareness regarding the issue of Pink Card to the bonafide Sikkimese people whose number in Sikkim is 3, 15, 693 and who posses volume no and serial no, if this Card is issued to the people this will segregate the Sikkimese people from other people of Sikkim and will benefited the original Sikkimese from Non Sikkimese.

The meeting was also addressed by the District Collector and mentioned his thought about the issue of Pink Card. According to Mr. Dhakal, this Pink Card is like a license to the Sikkimese which helps them to do any sort of job in Sikkim.

However it needs to be seen whether this Pink Card will discriminate between the bonafide Sikkimese and non- Sikkimese, this certainly will bring disparity between the people of Sikkimese who all these year are living like one ad regarding the facilities given to the Sikkimese but while looking at the modern trend where all the supplies and contract are in the hand of non Sikkimese it is to seen whether this pink card will really benefit it or not

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PINK CARD IN SIKKIM: List to be made public before issuing Pink Card or Green Card- Chettri

Prakash Adhikari
source: Voice of Sikkim


09 Mar, Gangtok: The Bharatiya Janta Party President of Sikkim Unit Padam Chettri today called up the media to brigade for the people of Sikkim in connection with government’s decision to issue an identity card to the people living in Sikkim.

He said, the very step of government to segregate community in basis of colour is against the constitution. Everyone living in India no matter he/she is from whichever class or creed is also eligible to live in Sikkim under a democratic air,
Sikkim being the Indian state,said Chettri. Criticizing the Chamling government, Chettri refers it as a master plan to bring a differentiation within people of Sikkim playing a game of Identity Card politics. In the process the Pink Card are allotted to those who possess Sikkim Subject and Green Card to those who do possess Sikkim Subject, non-locals. Pink Card in the case will be termed as local and Green Card holder a non-local. Centre should abruptly look into the matter and instruct the state government to stop faking with the people under emotional identity card politics.

Chettri also urged government for making the lists public before imposing the decesion.


==================================================================================

BJP slams Chamling govt for ID card politics


Gangtok, Mar 8 (PTI) The BJP today hit out at the Pawan Kumar Chamling government for proposing to issue pink cards to the Sikkimese people to preserve their exclusive identity, which, it said, was against the tenets of the Constitution.

"The Chamling government is deliberately violating the provisions of the Constitution by segregating the people on basis of identity cards. The pink ones would go to locals having Sikkim Subject Certificates and green cards to non-locals. The process has already begun," Sikkim BJP president Padam Bahadur Chettri told reporters here.

Describing the SDF's government's move as "dangerous" and potential threat to unity and integrity of the country, he urged the Centre to instruct the state government to withdraw the proposal to issue different identity cards to different people when all are citizens of India.


===============================================================================


SIKKIM:Pink Card survey coordination meet in North


DEEPAK SHARMA
source: sikkim express

MANGAN, March 7: The Land Revenue department yesterday organized a coordination meeting at Mangan for North Sikkim on the upcoming Pink Card survey process which will be issued to Sikkimese with Certificates of Identification only in the State.
The meeting was held at Zilla Bhavan here and chaired by Land Revenue department additional secretary TN Dhakal, DM (North) TN Kazi, sub-divisional officials, panchayats and Zilla Panchayat members of North Sikkim.

Speaking on the occasion, the DM said that objective of the Pink Card system is to properly identify the COI holders in Sikkim. The survey will begin from April 7, he said appealing the local representatives to sensitize the people for a smooth survey.
Additional secretary Dhakal said that the Pink Card will be an authentic document for the COI holders which not only give an exact figure of the COI holders and their legal descendants in the State and be a safeguard for the proper Sikkimese.

The official added that around 31,000 COIs are unauthenticated in Sikkim.

====================================================================================

Cabinet decides on PIC for the Old Sikkim Subject holders and their descendents

source:Sikkim Reporter > With IPR Input

Gangtok: Pink Identity Card (PIC) will be given to the Old Sikkim Subject holders and their direct legal descendents. This was decided in a Cabinet meeting on August 12 in Cabinet Hall at Tashiling Secretariat which was chaired by the Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling. The Cabinet approved Rs.98.00 lakhs for Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department as the cost to prepare 3,15,693 PIC.

The purpose of PIC is, the Cabinet noted, primarily to facilitate the Government on certain issues, namely, reservation of Government and Private undertaking jobs for the local people; to allow Educational facilities to the local people which includes both facilities at school level and also for higher studies; to identify the bonafide Sikkimese for exemption of Central Income Tax; to extend benefits of various Government schemes to the local people on priority; and to preserve separate and distinct identity of the original inhabitants of the State of Sikkim.

===========================================================================