SIBLAC deeply saddened over Indian Army scaling sacred Mount Khangchen Dzongna

The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee, known as SIBLAC, has expressed strong sadness and disappointment after the Indian Army recently climbed Mount Khangchen Dzongna, a mountain that is very special and sacred to the people of Sikkim.

Mount Khangchen Dzongna is not just any mountain for the Bhutia and Lepcha communities. It is believed to be their Guardian Deity. This means it holds a very important place in their religious beliefs and culture. The mountain is considered holy and is part of their identity and traditions. Because of its importance, the Government of Sikkim has officially declared that climbing this peak is not allowed. There are clear legal orders that protect this mountain from being disturbed.

Despite these clear rules and many requests from people and groups like SIBLAC, the Indian Army still climbed the mountain. This action has hurt the feelings of many local people and is seen as a disrespect to their culture and religion. SIBLAC said that such acts are not just against their beliefs, but also break the laws made by India’s Parliament and supported by the state government.

The committee has asked the Government of Sikkim, especially the Ecclesiastical Department which deals with religious matters, to explain how this happened. They want the government to take the issue seriously and to make sure that this kind of disrespect does not happen again in the future.

SIBLAC also appealed to all groups, including both civilian and military organizations, to respect the traditions and sacred places of Sikkim. They stressed that such sacred sites should be protected and honored by everyone.

Tseten Tashi Bhutia, the Convenor of SIBLAC, said, “We are deeply hurt by this incident. Our mountain is not just a natural place but a holy guardian for our people. We hope the government and all responsible groups will understand our feelings and work to protect our heritage.”