'Increase Assembly seats for Limbu and Tamang'

Gangtok, Nov 24: The Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) has favoured increase in the number of assembly seats to provide reservation to the Limbu and Tamang communities.

SSP President Rajendra Upreti told newsmen here yesterday that it was not possible to provide reservation to the two communities without raising the number of assembly seats.

Mr Upreti suggested to convene an all party meeting to decide the number of seats, to be increased, to resolve the issue and other related matters.

At present the Assembly has 32 seats, of which 12 are reserved for Bhutia-Lepcha communities, two for SC and one for the Sangha.

The Limbu and Tamang, who have been accorded ST status since 2002, have been demanding reservation of assembly seats since then.

The issue had already raised a storm in the state's political scenario with all the parties raising the issue in different fora.

Replying to a question Mr Upreti said, '' As the UPA government is in power at the Centre, the state Congress should take up the matter with their party high command to resolve the issue.'' The SSP leader also regretted that though Nepali language had been included in the Constitution's eigth schedule, it has not been given its due importance.

He demanded that public sector undertakings like banks and other different central government offices should use the language.

He also demanded the local AIR station to increase the duration of the news broadcast in Nepali from the existing five to ten minutes daily.

Mr Upreti also urged the Centre not to increase the cost of the cooking gas cylinder and implement the Direct Income Tax law in the state in the larger interest of the people.

UNI