Press Release
Pawan Chamling shares his experience of being attacked by stone pelters at Assangrhang and Salghari. Comparing the manner of those attackers with suicide bombers, he said that it was disturbing to see how the SKM party is propagating a philosophy that “to kill and be killed in the name of PS Goley is the supreme human act.”
“Q. There were numerous video clips of the stone pelting at Assangthang as your cavalcade was moving towards Salghari for the Sikkim Bachau Abhiyan meeting. There were also video clips of your speech being interrupted by the sound of stones being pelted on the roof of the house. Can you share your experience?
Ans: The tragic reality of present-day Sikkim is that lawlessness has reached the nadir. How tragic it is to live in a state in 2023 where opposition party rallies are attacked by government-sponsored goons with stones? This stone-age, beastly tactic of attacking the opposition with stones is in the genes of the Mr. PS Goley led SKM party. Mobocracy has been their style of functioning. They used to resort to hiring goons and depended on mob-violence when they were in opposition. After the SKM party formed the government, they institutionalised mobocracy, mob-violence and stone pelting. We have been constantly attacked since the bi-election in 2019. They have been using a misguided mob of goons almost wherever we go.
Knowing their tendency and violent mindset, we had informed the Sikkim police about our apprehension and had requested arrangements for security. Our doubts were not without reason. When we reached Assangthang, the violent mob began to pelt stones at our cavalcade injuring several of our colleagues and damaging several vehicles. Some injuries are critical and the damage to the vehicles are major.
There were many media people at ground zero who had a first-hand view of how the SKM goons were pelting stones and shouting abuse. To control such a violent mob, two policewomen were deployed. That was shocking. Finally, when other police officers came to the spot, they themselves saw the blatant defiance of the SKM goons. They had zero respect for the police. As the police officers were asking the mob not to take law and order into their hands, they were defiantly shouting and pelting stones at our cavalcade. In fact, my vehicle was pelted with stones three times right in front of the police.
At Salghari, about 10 minutes after I had started my speech, three men came in a vehicle bearing number SK 01PA 7244 and started pelting stones at us. I was escorted by my colleagues into a room. The three SKM supporters rammed their vehicle into ours and pelted stones at the crowd. Police took them away and their vehicle was craned by the police. But shockingly, an FIR has not been registered against them. Nor have the identity of the men and vehicle owner been disclosed to the people. The stone pelters at Assangthang also have not been arrested till date. The Sikkim Police are working under such tremendous pressure from this evil, anti-people regime. The people whom they attacked deserve to know who they are. Sikkim deserves to know their identity. They could be members of an insurgency group in the Northeast. Chief Minister Mr. PS Goley has been frequenting the NE a lot. Those three men coming so openly, thus risking their own lives actually reminded us of suicide bombers. How can anyone come so openly to a crowd of people and attack so recklessly. It seems as if in the SKM party there is a subtle philosophy being propagated by anti-human individuals which is something along the lines of “to kill and be killed in the name of Goley is the supreme human act”. This is really disturbing! Commenting on such a brutal attack, Mr. Goley so foolishly and irresponsibly claimed that it was a reaction to an action. Is this the CM talking or an insurgent leader threatening? It was an evil, undemocratic and anti-human action by his goons and the people of Sikkim need to show him their reaction in 2024 in a democratic manner.
However, their intimidation didn’t work. We held our meeting amidst a massive gathering of totally enthusiastic and fearless Sikkim loving people. Together we resolved to fight for our beloved Sikkim and to rescue it from the clutches of such anti-Sikkim forces.
Unfortunately, peaceful Sikkim has become a den of stone-pelters, anarchists and goons. There was a time when other parts of NE were affected by insurgency related violence but now Sikkim has become the most unpeaceful state in the entire NE. The turbulence of Gorkhaland has come to Sikkim. The stone-pelting culture and violence of Kashmir has come to Sikkim. This is the result of a criminal-minded leadership who use their public platform and office to terrorise the people. Today, Sikkim’s biggest enemy is the thinking, character, behaviour, attitude and mindset of the SKM leadership.
If such situation continues, Sikkim will be an out and out insurgent state. No one will come to Sikkim except the goons and terrorists.
I call upon all thinking Sikkimese people in general and intellectuals in particular to condemn such a stone-age mentality and pitiless violence. It is high time for us to think about where we are heading with a ruling party exploiting these misguided and hapless youth. How long can Sikkim remain a mute spectator to such deplorable politics played by a criminal-minded leadership? I appeal to one and all to condemn such acts and speak up, demanding a better administration and secure Sikkim. This is our homeland and it is our birth right to live here in peace and prosperity. I appeal to all from different age-groups, communities, religions and walks of life to come together. Sikkim needs your support to save her from this leadership possessed by an evil power.
Come, join us to save Sikkim!”
Bishnu Dulal
General Secy., Press & Publicity Affairs
SDF.
29.01.2023
