Rediff Logo News Find/Feedback/Site Index
HOME | ELECTION | REPORT
September 14, 1999

NEWS
ANALYSIS
SPECIALS
INTERVIEW
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
CONSTITUENCY
ISSUES
GALLERY
MANIFESTOS
INDIA SPEAKS!
COUNTDOWN
CHAT
PREVIOUS RESULTS
SCHEDULE
DISCUSSION GROUP

E-Mail this report to a friend

Bhutia-Lepchas call for boycott of polls

Tribal organisations of the indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha communities in Sikkim have decided to boycott the October 3 elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat and the 32-member assembly in protest against the ''conversion'' of reserved Bhutia-Lepcha (BL)seats in the assembly to ''tribal'' seats.

The organisations, under the banner of Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee, at an emergency meeting unanimously resolved to send a petition to the President through the Sikkim governor Chaudhury Randhir Singh for restoration of rights and interests of the people of the Bhutia-Lepcha origin as guaranteed by Article 371(f). The SIBLAC has appealed to all Bhutia-Lepcha candidates for the state's 12 reserved seats to withdraw their nominations in support of their demand.

The SIBLAC, in a memorandum submitted to the governor on September 14, had drawn his attention to the danger of obliteration faced by the Bhutia-Lepchas in the political situation that has emerged after signing of the May 8 1973 tripartite agreement among the erstwhile ruler of Sikkim -- Chogyal Palden Thodup Namgyal, the Government of India and the then political parties in Sikkim prior to the Himalayan kingdom's merger to the Indian union in 1975.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report

HOME | NEWS | ELECTION 99 | BUSINESS | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | INFOTECH | TRAVEL
SINGLES | BOOK SHOP | MUSIC SHOP | HOTEL RESERVATIONS | WORLD CUP 99
EDUCATION | PERSONAL HOMEPAGES | FREE EMAIL | FEEDBACK