VIEWPOINT
2025 is special for Sikkim, special because we complete 50 years of being a State within the Indian Union. While the festivities on account of the 50 year landmark is around the corner, the year also allows us to look back, look forward and see how much we have evolved these 50 years. Have we done enough?
How did lives of the Sikkimese change on and after 16 May 1975?
We came under the ambit of the Indian constitution with the merger. The constitution of the Indian democracy that extends freedom to its citizens. The most important element of the voluminous book. It brought along freedom to the Indians after centuries of British raj. The same applying to us post 1975. A transformation for the Sikkimese from subjects to citizens of a democratic nation. Not having to be ?????to a ????. How much of that freedom do we exercise today? Are the citizens of the 50 year old democracy able to exercise their right to freedom in totality? The freedom to speak, the freedom to express ones opinion. Have the people of Sikkim felt free all these 50 years? That we may need to ask ourselves.
Do we express ourselves as freely as the Tamils? As the Bengalis? As the Punjabis? As the Manipuris? Are we a free Society? Have we shun the monarchicalmindset? Have we been more ?????all these 50 years than what we were pre 75?
The second benefit the merger into the Indian union brought along was the access to the Central budgetary support, the countless development schemes, the infrastructural support. Today as we look back, the Union Government has supported Sikkim extensively all these years money wise. To the extent that today our economics would crumble without the Union support. With the money flowing in freely, with the avenues for various grants and borrowings opened for the State, how much have we developed?
Our infrastructure, our roads, our health care, our educational institutions, our power infrastructure, our connectivity, our digital infra - How much have we developed? We cannot look at ourselves in isolation. We have to see ourselves in light of the rest of the nation. How prudently have we used our financial resources? Does it not feel way way behind than the other states? Does it not?
Our natural resources, our human resource, - How far have we worked in areas of consravtion and development - Where do we stand today?
I will not mince words here - These 50 years, those of us who have had access to the corridors of power, access to the powerful posts and positions have prospered leaps and bounds. Generations gone rich there but those who weren't as lucky are struggling. The disparity in quality of life is huge. A population of a few lakhs only yet we have not tasted equality in terms of progress and development. The gap is gone wider, much much wider.
50 years and it takes us a full day to reach the nearest functional airport, 50 years and we cross our borders to have our gall stones removed, 50 years and our agriculture is crying for help, 50 years and the human resource is at the risk of compromised living for generations, 50 years and we enquire if our roads are "OPEN", 50 years and we still talk only behind closed doors.
There is plenty of progress we have made these 50 years but the problems may still weigh the gains down. It may not be about one person, one ideology, politics or one area to be blamed. It looks complicated. We all hold the answer to the position we are in today. Just that we may not be questioning ourselves honestly.
How much have we progressed? How much have we moved hand in hand with the other states? How free are we? How happy are we? How bright is our future? How well have we guarded our old laws?
50 years of Statehood is an important milestone. We are proud Indians today, love for our motherland, for our country India is immense. We are in the mainstream by heart.
The trajectory we have held on to these 50 years has brought us here. As we look around today, what do we see? What do we feel? Is it okay to follow the same line? Is the trajectory we are in good enough to sail us into the future? Or do we redraw the plans and do things differently?
The next 50 years is vital, we need to do better. We owe it to our future Sikkim.
We rejoice as proud Indians and proud Sikkimese today. It is the 50th year, the Golden Jubilee.
How golden but is the Jubilee?
(The writer is a social commentator. Views are personal. Email: tewarideepak@yahoo.co.in)
