Tribal bodies from Sikkim want NRC

After the upgradation of the National Register of Citizens in Assam, indigenous Sikkim tribal bodies, too, have come up with a demand for an NRC. The demand comes days after Tripura royal, Congress leader in-charge of Sikkim, Pradyot Manikya Debbarma filed a petition in the Supreme Court for the upgradation of the NRC in his state.

In a press conference held in the Capital, indigenous leaders of the state have come forward with a set of demands. These include the strict imposition of Article 371F, which was imposed in the state in 1975, and that all "unwanted and unnecessary" union and central acts enforced in the state be withdrawn.

In addition to that, the leaders demanded that the existing ratio of Bhutia Lepchas in the Sikkimese Legislative Assembly be maintained at 37.5 per cent. "In the year 1979-80, the seats reserved for the Sikkimese of Bhutia Lepcha origin were reduced to 12 from 16… and efforts were made by the State government to reduce it further down to 30 per cent," a note released by the leaders stated.