In the press release issued by the SDF party today, the former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling criticised the administration under the watch of the SKM and said that the new Covid guidelines released by the Sikkim government are the confession that they were fighting Covid war only on papers and utterly failed to implement the protocols.
Former Chief Minister and the President of the SDF party Shri Pawan Chamling has criticised the utter failure of administration under the watch of the SKM government in strong words and has said that the new Covid guidelines released by the Sikkim government are the confession that they were fighting Covid war only on papers and utterly failed to implement the protocols. Chief Minister Shri Tamang doesn’t understand the seriousness of the Covid situation and has now finally pretended to awake after the Union Government asked him to intensify the battle. The state govt is busy in politicising the Covid pandemic and blaming others for their mistakes.
“Q. The Covid-19 pandemic is worsening in Sikkim while the situation in the rest of the country is improving. How much confidence can one have in the latest guidelines released by the state government in improving the situation?
Ans. Every right thinking person knows that the terrible Covid situation that we have today is the outcome of total administrative mismanagement. But the people are afraid to call a spade a spade. We know what happens to vocal people under this government. The lockdown was a joke. Now the new guidelines are the government’s confession that they had made a joke of the lockdown. I don’t understand why it took the Sikkim government so long to realise the criticality of the matter. There is a saying in English “After the death, the doctor”. The Sikkim government is now announcing that the Covid-19 guidelines will be implemented strictly. What foolishness. This Covid pandemic is now in its second year running and the Sikkim government is only now waking up. It shows the following:
1. The Sikkim Government was only fighting Covid on paper. Their guidelines were only big talk with very little implementation.
2. The SKM party was taking undue advantage of the callous government and randomly obtaining permits during the lockdown to allow them to move freely.
3. The SKM party and senior leaders were openly organising public gatherings during the lockdown.
4. Chief Minister, Mr. PS Tamang did not understand the seriousness of the Covid pandemic from the beginning. I believe he is still not fully aware of its seriousness. His actions (from Dandi March to Machha Mela, from Holi to the Cycle rally, from random touring to a public meeting at the Veterinary playground Namchi) show that he is still living in utter ignorance.
Even today the Sikkim government is not fully awake. It is only after the union Health Minister wrote to the State government that the state administration is showing some degree of seriousness.
It is time for the SKM party to be humble and realise that no one has been politicising the Covid pandemic except themselves. The Union Health Minister and all others who are offering advice and suggestions are simply alerting the government to the gravity of the situation.
What is politicising the Covid pandemic? Let me tell them:
1. Not allowing Dr. Mechung Bhutia to carry on his free medical services to the people of Sikkim villages is politicising.
2. Closing their eyes to the open burning of an effigy of Mr. Bhaichung Bhutia during the lockdown simply because Mr. Bhutia questioned the government’s refusal to divert a greater portion of the budget to the Covid fight is politicising.
3. Sending goons and party functionaries to Mr. Arun Limboo’s house to beat him up just because he is raising issues related to students is politicizing.
4. Adamantly and arrogantly going to Dandi March with an army of supporters, right during the middle of the Second Wave and bringing Covid into Sikkim – and then organising public gathering after public gathering for publicity’s sake is a dangerous politicising of the Covid pandemic. This is exactly how Covid has spread in Sikkim.
5. Still not listening to well-meaning suggestions from opposition leaders and concerned citizens is blatant politicising of the pandemic.
6. Scolding people and blaming them for the increasing infection rate of Covid is politicising. They are hiding their failure by shifting the blame onto the people.
7. Threatening people and making their life inconvenient in the name of Covid guidelines while they themselves living a normal life with all privileges is politicising the pandemic.
The people who are living in fear of the terror and threats of the SKM government and goons may remain silent temporarily. But history and the future will never forgive the cruelty this government has subjected the Sikkimese people to.”
Krishna Kharel
General Secy., Publicity Affairs
SDF.
18.07.2021