Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

From The Sunday Indian Volume 3 Issue 1 06 October-12 October 2008

I was not born when Sikkim got merged with the mighty Indian Union, but being a student of Sikkim History, all that is available to me is a rack of books by different authors and those old folks who had been part of that historical “April ‘73’ Agitation”.  When I go through the history of Sikkim, April ‘73 Agitation holds an important role, mostly as the turning point of the Independent Sikkim and the Sikkim State. The mass demonstrations against the Chogyal rule shocked the 300-year-old monarchy system and ushered in democratic rule in Sikkim.  The agitation was a result “due to big differences which ensued with the demand of repoll in one booth by Kazi Lhendup Dorji and Mr. Krishna Chandra Pradhan, as such the Chogyal had to face the people’s agitation launched by the Joint Action Committee with the tacit blessings of the Government of India. This people’s political movement spearheaded by Kazi Lhendup Dorji finally resulted in Sikkim joining the mainstream as the 22nd State...

Today holds a special place in the history of Sikkim as it was on this day that mass agitation against the Chogyal rule took off, which led to the downfall of the monarchy rule in Sikkim.  The agitation was a result “ due to serious differences which ensued with the demand of repoll in one booth by Kazi Lhendup Dorji and Mr. Krishna Chandra Pradhan, as such the Chogyal had to face the people's agitation launched by the Joint Action Committee with the tacit blessings of the Government of India.  This people's political movement, spearheaded by Kazi Lhendup Dorji, finally resulted in Sikkim joining the mainstream as the 22nd State of India in 1975 (sikkiminfo.net)". I was going through an article, " Lesson of Democracy from Sikkim, " by Carleton Cole, that recapitulates the movement of the April 73 Agitation.   Cole writes, " In April 1973, after making allegations that a round of elections had been rigged in favor of the Bhutia, thus making ethnic Nepali...

Elections to the State Council were held in 1973. A small controversy with reference to the counting center at Gangtok ignited and within no time political parties organized demonstrations against the Government. The police force was used to control the agitation, which added fuel to fire. Sikkim National Congress and Sikkim State Congress demanded countermanding of the election and ordering a fresh poll. The Durbar adopted its old dual policy of repression and causing dissension in its political rivals. But this time it did not work.  Demonstrators began to attack and take over the police stations in the interior. The two political parties decided to boycott and disturb the ruler’s birthday celebration on April 4, 1974, in spite of appeals made on the contrary. The situation was grim and a pitched battle was fought between the demonstrators and the police. The palace went ahead with the birthday celebrations, which angered the masses even more. The administration collapsed and...