Sikkim body condemns arrest of ACT activists

GANGTOK, Feb 10 : The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party (SHRPP) today condemning the arrest of 43 activists of the apolitical outfit Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) at Dzongu in North district two days ago in connection with the protest against the 280-MW Panan hydel project in the protected area.

“The SHRPP condemns the arrest of the ACT workers, comprising women and monks by the North district police for protesting against the construction of the hydel project in the habitat of the Lepcha people,” its president AD Subba told reporters here.

He slammed the police for booking the protesting ACT workers under non-bailable provisions of the Indian Penal Code and lodging the accused, including women and some monks, at Mangan police station.

The SHRPP has decided to extend moral support to the ACT for the success of its over 600-day-long agitation against the hydel projects in Sikkim, besides providing necessary support to the apolitical outfit to ensure that the hydel projects gets scrapped, he said.

Subba flayed the Centre and the State government for remaining a mute spectator to the ongoing protests for nearly two years against the hydel projects.

He urged both the governments to bring the agitators on table for resolving the vexed issue.