Somewhere in Sikkim....

Sikkim is set to enact a draconian law that proposes to impose harsh punishments on a wide range of ‘misdemeanors’, ranging from taking out processions, staging demonstrations and hunger strikes to employing children as domestic help and smoking in public by those below eighteen years of age. All such offences will attract five years in jail and a minimum fine of 50,000. For drug abuse, the penalty will be 1 lakh and five and a half years in jail. The Sikkim Prevention & Control of Disturbances of Public Order Bill, termed a ‘black bill’ by opposition parties, was introduced by chief minister Pawan Chamling, who also holds the home portfolio, in the state assembly on Thursday. All 32 members in the assembly belong to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front. The offences listed under the bill are: holding processions, hunger strikes, squatting, slogan-shouting, waving black flags and “other such” agitations which are, incidentally, the most common form of legitimate protests in democracies all over the world. The proposed Sikkim Prevention & Control of Disturbances of Public Order Bill will be debated in the 32-member assembly — which has no opposition MLA — on August 26. The list of offences also includes activities that induce health hazards or “threat to healthy life and security”, “harming peaceful living or any act of public nuisance, danger or annoyance to the public”, “extortions, drug abuse, employing children for household work, drunkenness, smoking by children below 18 years of age and even such children visiting bars and discotheques”, “causing destruction to public thoroughfare”, “laying unauthorized pipes for water connection, electric connection etc”. Pawan Chamling, while introducing the bill, said a special law is required to “address social vices and offences” and “disturbing public order, which affects peace and tranquillity”. The state government, he added, felt there was a need to deal with such “offences affecting public order” through “an appropriate law”. The preamble to the bill says that its objective is to curb activities that promote enmity, hatred and disaffection between groups or communities on ground of religion, race or caste. Opposition parties, expectedly, reacted with anger. Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president K N Lepcha termed it as a ‘black bill’ that “is a severe violation of democratic rights” and “a conspiracy to suppress the voice of the people”. BJP state president Padam Chettri condemned SDF’s attempt to frame and pass a “Talibani bill”. “This cannot happen in a democracy. SDF should not try to take advantage of the absence of any opposition in the state assembly to get this black bill through,” Chettri said. CPM state committee member Anjan Upadhyay spoke in the same vein while Sikkim Nationalist People’s Party president Biraj Adhikari said the proposed bill would create more unrest in the “highly sensitive” region along the international border.