The president of the Joint Action Council (JAC), Santa Pradhan, today put down his papers as the chief of the panel that was formed to discuss the controversy in Sikkim that surrounded the Supreme Court’s verdict of January 13, 2023, on the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim (AOSS) vs Union of India case.

A retired bureaucrat, Mr Pradhan had been nominated as the JAC president after the resignation of his predecessor TN Dhakal then.

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Stating the reasons for his resignation in a press release, Mr Pradhan said, “I hereby resign as the president of the Joint Action Council (JAC)due to health reasons with immediate effect.”

“I thank the advisors, members of the executive councils, all members, well-wishers and the Sikkimese people forgiving me an opportunity to serve them during this crucial hour when our very identity and survival came under threat. I extend my sincere best wishes to all the members of the Joint Action Council for all their endeavors in the service of Sikkim and Sikkimese people. I continue to pray for Sikkim and the Sikkimese People,” Mr Pradhan said.

Meanwhile, Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP), in a press release, said that the Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) government in the state had, in the special session of the Legislative Assembly yesterday, accepted the dilution of the term “Sikkimese”.

“As per the Government of Sikkim statement released on their Facebook page on 10 April2023, the Golay government has accepted that the Sikkimese definition has been diluted andthat the only way to return our distinct identity is to amend the Finance Act 2023, forwhich we will have to rely on the mercy of the central government,” the party said.

“Now that the government of Sikkim has accepted that the Finance Act has deeply hurt the feelings and sentiment of the Sikkimese, why did they mislead the people of Sikkim that there was nothing to worry about and that the opposition was creating an issue out of nothing?,” said HSP chief Bhaichung Bhutia.

He further questioned SKM saying, “You were saying that Article 371F has not been touched, then why are you seeking this clarification? This clearly shows that the Government of Sikkim also accepts that as per the Finance Act, the “Sikkimese” no longer only includes Lepcha, Bhutia, and Nepali of Sikkimese origin only, this has been diluted,” he added.

According to Mr Bhutia, the Sikkimese definition has been diluted and the Finance Act should now be amended again to return the distinct identity of the term “Sikkimese.”