The Gorkhaland roadmap has triggered territorial concerns in Sikkim after a July discussion paper referred to “contiguous areas of neighbouring States” as part of one possible political pathway.
The wording prompted groups in Sikkim to demand clarity from the state government. However, Prof Mahendra P. Lama, who prepared the discussion paper, says the proposal never sought to include Sikkim and that the disputed pathway did not enter the final document.
Sikkim group questions Gorkhaland roadmap
The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has questioned the Gorkhaland roadmap and sought an official explanation from the Sikkim government.
SIBLAC convenor and former minister Tseten Tashi Bhutia raised concerns over the fourth pathway in Lama’s July discussion paper. That pathway proposed North Bengal as a state and referred to contiguous areas of neighbouring states.
The wording raised questions about possible territorial implications for Sikkim. Therefore, SIBLAC asked the government to clarify who authorised the wording, who ordered its removal and what the final document contains.
Bhutia also urged the Sikkim government to seek a resolution in the state Assembly reaffirming protections under Article 371F.
Lama says Sikkim never figured in plan
Prof Lama has rejected claims that his Gorkhaland roadmap included Sikkim.
Lama said the July paper circulated among members of the Civil Society of Darjeeling contained four possible pathways. These included a separate state, Union Territory status, an autonomous state within West Bengal and a North Bengal state involving contiguous areas of neighbouring states.
However, Lama said the fourth pathway did not survive into the final submission. He said the final document, submitted to the Centre in August, contains only three options.
Those options include full statehood for Gorkhaland as India’s 29th state, Union Territory status and an autonomous “state within a state” arrangement. Lama also said the original draft contained no map or document showing Sikkim as part of a proposed state.
SIBLAC seeks documentary proof
SIBLAC has welcomed Lama’s clarification but wants documentary evidence. Bhutia has asked the Sikkim government to establish whether any written assurance excludes Sikkim from future territorial arrangements involving North Bengal or Gorkhaland.
The committee has also questioned whether the Sikkim government knew about the preparation and subsequent withdrawal of the fourth pathway.
Meanwhile, SIBLAC has linked the issue to Sikkim’s constitutional safeguards. Bhutia has called for an Assembly resolution affirming Article 371F and protecting the state’s territorial and constitutional interests.
The Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim has separately objected to the fourth pathway. The party said the reference to “contiguous States” could affect Sikkim’s interests and demanded accountability over the proposal.
Centre advances Gorkha political process
The Gorkhaland roadmap debate comes as the Centre has renewed efforts to address the long-running Gorkha political issue.
On August 22, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting in Sukna involving Gorkha representatives and the West Bengal government. The Centre then constituted a committee under former deputy national security adviser Pankaj Kumar Singh to work out a permanent political solution.
The committee will examine the issue within the constitutional framework. It will also consult political parties, social organisations and other stakeholders before submitting its recommendations to the Centre.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said the state government will not accept a proposal to divide West Bengal. However, he has supported efforts to find another permanent solution to the region’s political concerns.
Sikkim seeks clarity as talks continue
The Gorkhaland roadmap dispute now centres on the meaning of a draft provision that Lama says the final submission dropped.
Sikkim groups, however, want the state government to provide a formal response. They also want clear safeguards against any future territorial proposal that could affect Sikkim.
At the same time, the Centre’s new committee has begun a broader process focused on the Gorkha political issue in the Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas.
As that process moves forward, Sikkim’s concerns have added another layer to the debate. For now, there is no verified evidence that the final Gorkhaland proposal seeks to include Sikkim. The disagreement instead centres on the wording of an earlier draft and the demand for greater transparency from the governments and groups involved.
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