CAP stages protest rally in Gangtok, alleges collapse of law and order in Sikkim
CAP pointed out that despite naming the alleged attacker, Lakhpat Muktan, in the FIR, no steps have been taken by the police to investigate or act against him.
LOCAL
Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim on July 29 staged a protest rally in Gangtok, voicing strong concerns over what it calls the complete breakdown of law and order under the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government. CAP President Ganesh Rai, while addressing the media, said the protest was a direct response to the inaction of the state administration following a violent attack on CAP leaders within the premises of the Sadam Sadat police station last week.
“It’s been over a week since our leaders were attacked. We filed an FIR and even submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary. But till now, no action has been taken. That’s why we took to the streets today—to tell the people that democracy in Sikkim is in danger,” Rai said.
The rally, which drew a significant number of supporters, was organized to raise awareness among citizens and to demand justice. CAP alleges that the state machinery, particularly the police, has failed to act on their complaints. They also expressed disappointment over the state government’s refusal to release the CCTV footage of the incident, which reportedly occurred at the Southern Police Station in Gangtok.
Reacting to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang’s recent statement suggesting the attack was staged by CAP members themselves, Rai said, “He himself is the Home Minister. If he has credible proof that the attack was an internal conflict, he should act on it. But to make such careless and baseless statements is unacceptable.”
Rai also criticized the Chief Minister for offering them permission to hold a rally at Palzor Stadium while, in reality, restricting their dharna to just 1 PM. “On one hand he challenges us to fill up a stadium, and on the other, he doesn’t even let us sit for a full-day protest. This clearly shows the fear in the government. If they are so confident, why limit our voice?”
CAP pointed out that despite naming the alleged attacker, Lakhpat Muktan, in the FIR, no steps have been taken by the police to investigate or act against him. “We’ve provided everything to the police, yet there is no movement. The people now need to know what’s going on,” said Rai.
When asked about the possible outcomes of the protest, Rai admitted that they do not expect any immediate action from the state authorities. “When the Chief Minister himself blames us for attacking our own leaders, what can we expect from the police? But this protest is not in vain. It is our way of reaching out to the people and making them aware. Ultimately, in a democracy, people are the real authority.”
He also said that the party will explore legal options through the judiciary but emphasized that public awareness and participation are their most powerful tools right now.
“The people of Sikkim must wake up. If they don’t act now, things will only get worse,” Rai said.