Angry Sikkim threatens to drag WB to court

A landlocked state, Sikkim is a popular tourist destination.

It's one of India's cleanest state, ably supported by picturesque surroundings, but, in a sharp contrast to all these virtues, its vice lies in the dependence.

Sikkim is heavily dependent on neighbouring states for supply of goods as one must go through terrains of North Bengal in order to enter the state.

It does not have an airport as of July 2017 and the nearest one is Bagdogra, located 124 kilometres from Gangtok, the Sikkimese capital.

What's ailing Sikkim is the ongoing tug-of-war between the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and the West Bengal Government.

The demand of a separate state, Gorkhaland, is age-old, having seen its fair share of rise and fall, but the latest wave of protests sweeping the Queen of Hills is to a degree unprecedented.

With both parties engaging in a slugfest, the third (Sikkim) is bleeding dry.

Venting against the West Bengal government, Sikkim's lone Member of Parliament P D Rai was quoted as saying by The Indian Express, "We are planning to approach the Supreme Court next week. The circumstances which have been created are unconstitutional. Our food supply and all other essential goods coming to Sikkim have been stopped."

"In Siliguri, many of our trucks carrying essential goods have been stopped by police in civil clothes, while uniformed police have looked on. Just because we have a particular stand, which has been a known stand for many years, this is being done,” Rai said.  

The comments came after the West Bengal government and police have stopped cargo vehicles from entering Sikkim.

Experts believe that the move was made keeping in mind Sikkim's pro-Gorkhaland stand, something that does not sit well with the incumbent WB government.

The minister also spoke about the plight his state goes through due to disruptions in the neighbouring West Bengal.

"Over the past 30 years, Sikkim has incurred losses worth Rs 60,000 crore due to such disruptions. We want the West Bengal government to make good on these losses," he said.

"Till the day before Mamata Banerjee decided to hold her cabinet meeting in Darjeeling, there was not a single room vacant in any hotel in Sikkim. But since then, there is not a single room that is occupied. Our economic losses have been huge. Disruptions and agitations will occur, you can’t prevent that," the lawmaker said.

"But the highway should have been protected by paramilitary to ensure that essential goods reach us. Yesterday, areas in north Sikkim ran out of rice and pulses; we have shipped these items to them today. There is no problem with organic vegetables or dairy in the state, but we import our cereals, and this has been hit. There is no cash in ATMs either," he added.

Rai said that Sikkim is getting sandwiched due to polarising views from two parties in West Bengal.

Speaking about the shortage of cash in ATM machines and the depleting medical reserves, he said, "Very soon, our medical supplies will run out. We are sandwiched between two agitations — for and against Gorkhaland. The West Bengal government needs to pay up."

Bengal on the other hand is already burning, affected by communal clashes, which has become a fixture in the recent years.

Sikkim's move will exacerbate the situation, if it does anything at all.