I wrote the other day about the developments in Dzongu regarding Lepchas in and around Sikkim. A lot has happened since and the Govt of Sikkim, misguided as it is by the avarice that seems to be the sole motivator combined with self aggrandisement of the not so  Honourable Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, whose personal greed is seen as an inspiration and model for conduct by the 31 elected representatives of the people from the CM's party, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF); the only exception is the Sangha MLA, a representative elected by the monks in various monasteries.

A group of approximately 500 Lepchas from sorrounding areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, marched peacefully in a bid to offer prayers to their ancestors as is the tradition. They were also to visit the Tolung Monastery which is held in great reverence by the Bhutias because this Monastery holds the precious relics of Guru Padma Sambhava, the harbinger of Budhism into Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, Arunachal & Eastern Nepal etc. Their visit, with the stated objective also aimed at seeing for themselves what was being done to their place of origin in the garb of development and power generation. 

This , as was expected, was perceived as a major threat by Chamling. The police had blocked the entry of this peaceful group at Rangpo on Sikkim/Bengal border which legally could not be stopped. The group then proceeded to Singtam enroute to Dzongu where a booking was made by them for night halt at the Bihari Association dharmashala. The Police, always at the beck and call of the CM as they should be to maintain law and order, on orders from the same office, swung into action and coerced the Dharmashala management into rescinding the permission granted to the peaceful group. On arrival, to their surprise, the weary and wary travellers found the dharmashala locked though their cook and other organisers were locked inside happily cooking the food to welcome the group. The managemet was then pressurised to register a case against the Lepchas and their three co-ordinators were arrested.

That was not, however, to be a deterrent to the marchers whose patience was typical Budhist; I shall be wrong if I was not to describe it as Gandhian.

The next day saw the marchers head to Dzongu via Dikchu but the full force of the SDF wrath was manifested itself in the form of forcing the shopkeepers nroute not to sell anything to the perceived protestors. In the meantime, Minister from North Sikkim, Hishey Lachungpa and an MLA in Sikkim assembly, who is believed, in reality, to be a resident of Darjeeling, organised a group of micreants, who they falsely claimed were the resident Lepchas from Dzongu Arae, to harass the marchers by stone throwing and denying them entry to Dzongu.

Does remind me of Popsky's private Army led by DIG, Akshay Sachdeva.