Hamro Sikkim Party has condemned the dilution of Article 371F in the Finance Bill 2023 passed by the Lok Sabha without any discussion. “The expansion of the Sikkimese definition in the Finance Bill has diluted the essence of Article 371F, which is a protective shield for the people of Sikkim. The double-engine government of SKM and BJP at the State and Centre are responsible for this dilution” said spokesperson Biraj Adhikari.
“Article 371F has been incorporated in the Constitution of India to protect the social, cultural and economic rights of the people of Sikkim. It was a solemn commitment made by the Government of India to the people of Sikkim at the time of the merger of Sikkim with India. However, the recent amendments in the Finance Bill have violated this commitment and have undermined the very spirit of Article 371F,” he adds.
He further expressed that Expansion of Sikkimese definition in the Financial Bill especially in Clause (V) has paved the way for many scams to get tax exemptions by people who are not even in Sikkim. This move is a blatant disregard for the constitutional safeguards that protect the unique identity and interests of the people of Sikkim.
“We call upon all the BJP MLAs of Sikkim to resign from the BJP and join the opposition to seek justice for the Sikkimese and protect Article 371F. The people of Sikkim have always trusted regional parties, and we firmly believe that national parties like BJP should be kept away from Sikkim for the welfare of the state,” said Adhikari.
Nitesh R Pradhan
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