SIKKIM GOVERNMENT DENIED PUBLIC MEETING PERMISSION IN MARKET

Gangtok, May 5: 'The opposition parties hope that the public in general will react as how far is it democratic to ban public meeting in the market,' on behalf of all opposition political parties as authorized by all the parties C.B.Chettri, General Secretary, Sikkim State BJP said.
The 5 opposition political parties were hopeful that the permission for public meeting at Rangpoo hat on 6th May 2007 will be granted as the opposition parties had itself imposed restriction like not carrying people in vehicle, not to make stage but make speech by just putting a table, not to hamper movement of people and vehicle by putting microphone at different places from where the people could listen without making crowd. Such meeting would have caused less inconvenience than the street corner meeting, he said. Such public meeting would have also helped the village producers to sell their product as many people who come to listen will also buy and also help in business. With such positive approach, the opposition had also decided to speak on different subject like the Communist party of India (Marxist) to speak on Labour issues, Gorkha Prajatantrik Party to speak on Democracy in Sikkim, Bharatiya Janata Party to speak on Government policies, Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad to speak on Unemployment, Price, rise and entry of multinational companies and Indian National congress to speak on corruption. Each party had decided to speak just about half an hour to maximum of 45 minutes and complete the meeting before 2 to 3 p.m. to set a new trend, he informed to media.
The opposition parties had further requested for the venue in front of Shri B.S.Karki Building or in front of Shri Phuchung Bhutia Building in the Rangpoo Hat Bazar which fall in the corner of the market declining the football ground as the venue and justifying that it will not cause any inconvenience to the public and also as democratic right. However, the permission for the meeting in the hat has now been denied and hence the proposed public meeting will not be held but distribute the leaflet prepared jointly by opposition parties.
The opposition does not blame the police for denying permission as they are only the Government machinery for enforcement of the Government decision but strongly condemn the ruling SDF Party and its Government for suppressing democracy in Sikkim by denying the permission. The SDF party itself came to power by holding public meeting in the market but it banned public meeting in market immediately after coming to power. Public meeting in the market is allowed all over India. In Sikkim it was allowed even during the Chogyal regime, Chettri mentioned.

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