STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
Gangtok, 31 July
Newly formed Bhutia Lepcha Protection Force (BLPF) has appealed to the Bhutia-Lepcha people to pressurise their respective MLAs to speak out in defence of the interests of the community when their constitutional rights are being attacked at random in Sikkim, their homeland.
“If they cannot speak out against the injustice, they have no right to be there as BL representatives. Either they should resign voluntarily from MLA-ship or the community should socially boycott them," read the resolution adopted at the first meeting of the BLPF held at BL House on Tibet Road here today.
Addressing the gathering, Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee convener, Mr Tseten Tashi Bhutia, said the Chogyal of Sikkim had not resorted to discrimination in reference to his subjects while according citizenship in 1961. “But today&’s politicians are playing divisive game putting the survival of the BL community under jeopardy,” he said. 
Stressing on the special arrangement providing for 12 BL and one Sangha seats in the Sikkim Assembly, Mr Bhutia said the state government is trying to dilute it by taking recourse to the Burman Committee Report that suggested ways to increase the strength of the Assembly to accommodate reservation for the Limbo-Tamang community enlisted as Scheduled Castes.
“The total number of BL seats must be increased proportionately if the strength of the Sikkim Assembly is to be increased to any extent. We shall not rest until the seat reservation of the Sikkimese Nepalese community is restored back in the Sikkim Assembly. However, the Sikkimese Nepalese themselves are neither concerned nor serious over the matter,” he added.
Issues like attack on Revenue Order No 1 through Sikkim Land Transfer ACT of 2005, ‘anti-Sikkimese’ Burman Committee Report designed to destroy the distinct identity of the Sikkimese, decrease in the share of BLs in the government employment sector, checking of influx and protection of the old business community are supposed to have figured in the meeting that was attended by a large number of people from the twin communities.