At the Bhoomi Pujan/ Foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Su-Swasthya Kendra in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, CM PS Tamang in his address, commented on the recent issue between SDF leader Dr Mechung Bhutia and the journalists who had apparently been offended by the SDF leader.
Bhutia had posted about the CM and some of the Ministers from the state taking a trip to Mumbai for the ceremony, and mentioning journalists in the mix as the ”noise makers” of the CM’s entourage.Bhutia’s post said that “According to sources, in the construction of a ₹500 Cr Sikkim Bhawan, Goley Jiu will lay the foundation stone, Ministers and supporters will labour in the building construction and the journalists will be the noise makers.”
The mockery wasn’t received well by the unionised organisation of journalists in the state and unions like Press Club of Sikkim and Journalist Union of Sikkim had made public statements through press releases condemning the post made by Bhutia, and asking for a public apology to the journalists from the state.
The CM reacted to the situation and commented on the tag of journalists being ‘noise makers’, saying “this is not noise of the construction of the CM’s house or a hotel construction of my fellow ministers but the noise of the construction of Sikkim’s Suswasthya Bhawan, for Sikkimese people.”
“That is why we will make noise, we’re not making noise for no reason, and we will make noise about the positive steps of the state,” he added.
“This is not the constitution of private hospitality of CM or governor or any ministers rather it is a construction for common public of Sikkim so I would to encourage press fraternity to make noise about it even more, doesn’t matter who says what,” he further added.
The CM addressing the state reporters in the crowd said, “you all shouldn’t take heed to what people say, whatever they say you all should make noise about the positives.”
The CM also said, “these reporters aren’t here on government funds, we aren’t depleting the state treasury like that. The journalists are here being sponsored by their private stake holders.”
Taking jabs at the previous government and the previous legislators the CM said, “we aren’t the type of people who ride Harleys (Harley Davidson motorcycles) while our time as legislators, or construct hotels by misappropriation of funds, I know about who constructed them, where they were constructed and by what means.” “Instead of praising this, and after not finding any criticism to be laid on this (construction of Sikkim Bhawan), they have commented in such way,” the CM added.