We lost Dr. Manmohan Singh last night at AIIMS New Delhi. The
condolences, labels and eulogies are coming in thick and fast. ‘Reluctant Prime
Minister; Accidental Prime Minister’ et al. However, in Sikkim we would like to
remember him as someone who cared deeply for the people of Sikkim. He did
whatever it took to listen to and act on solving our problems whenever they
were presented to him. His actions spoke much louder.
He was an accessible PM who would give time and listen
patiently to us as MPs from the Himalayan and the Northeastern States.
I remember meeting him on several occasions when we as MPs
representing the Northeast MPs’ Forum called on him to present our issues of
the region. He listened and spoke to us in a compelling way.
I also remember watching him live on television when he
assumed charge as India's 14th Prime Minister on May 22, 2004. My mind was
elevated as already the fruits of economic liberalisation was becoming apparent
all over the country. ‘India was in a good place’ is the thought that went ringing
through my head.
For Sikkim he was especially sensitive, and one can go back
to his childhood pain of partition to understand why. He always understood that
Sikkim’s merger in 1975 was done at the instance of Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. Therefore, that was a Congress legacy. And hence his positivity to our
issues like 371F. His sensitivity stemming from the pain from partition.
Juxtapose this to difference in the way Sikkim now finds
itself at the present juncture.
By just mentioning two important issues resolved during his
tenure will substantiate my initial premise. The first is that in 2008 he
ensured that the Sikkim Subject holders were given relief from the Central
Income Tax through an amendment to the IT Act under section 26AAA in the
Finance Bill of 2008. This was celebrated as a great achievement by the SDF
Government. Behind the scenes work of the then Finance Secretary, T. T. Dorji
and Head of the Tax Department, K. N. Bhutia must be acknowledged along with that
of the political leadership of Pawan Chamling, the then CM. But if the PM
Manmohan Singh had not been sensitive to this matter, then it would have created
many problems especially for the non-tribal communities of Sikkim earlier on, this
when he was the finance minister during the Narasimha Rao led Congress
Government. The matter went under review and the outcome was the Amendment
which granted the exemption.
The people of Sikkim celebrated this ‘victory’ which was
inclusive except that people whose names were not on Sikkim Subject Register
but for all practical purposes were Sikkimese were left out. This led to a
struggle which culminated in the addition of extra provisions in the IT Act
Clause 26AAA.
The second issue which must be highlighted is the way in
which he quickly visited Sikkim on 29th September 2011, after the
devastating earthquake of 18th September 2011. Sikkim had been
paralysed and devasted. Even the Secretariat building was declared as unsafe.
Many people had lost their lives. He came and delivered to us a ?. 1,000 Crore
rehabilitation package.
Prior to the PM’s visit the then Finance Minister Mr. P
Chidambaram had also visited and had recommended some immediate relief.
Sikkim received over ? 1,500 Crores in grant in aid from the
Government of India under the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This is
significant shows how Dr. Manmohan Singh wanted to help States like Sikkim
which was marching toward progress. He did not want impediments like the earthquake
which is a natural disaster to delay progress.
These two very significant milestones must be remembered
when we think of the benevolent Manmohan Singh. Sikkim was close to his heart,
and we must remember that a lot of where we are in terms of development, the
credit lies in his actions as earlier FM and then two terms as Prime Minister.
Rest in peace.
The author is a former Member of Parliament from Sikkim
(2009 – 2019)
