Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) president Pawan Chamling has accused governor Ganga Prasad of misguiding the Centre by articulating a hunky-dory narrative of the state while in reality, a lot has been amiss under the allegedly failed rule of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM).

Chamling, who toured the landslide-hit Pathing village in Namchi district on Friday, said unlike the governors of other states, the Sikkim governor was vested with special responsibility under clause (g) of Article 371F of the Constitution to intervene and take action on behalf of the people of Sikkim against the government’s failures.

“The governor is not doing so (taking action). Sikkim today is suffering losses, major natural calamities are occurring… people are in difficulty, they are not getting relief on time. There is no security of people’s life and property. Law and order has failed. The government itself has failed. Despite all these, the governor goes to Delhi and says work is going on in Sikkim and the government is doing a good job,” Chamling told reporters in Pathing.

The five-time former chief minister said he was voicing his anguish at the role of the governor so as to let the people of Sikkim know as well as to send across his message to the Centre. “He (the governor) is misguiding the government of India, which is not right.”

The SDF distributed relief materials to the families affected by the landslide. Over 60 families have been relocated to safer places following the continuing landslide at Pathing in the subdivision of Yangang, where Chamling’s ancestral home is situated.

Chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay) had visited the place on Monday and announced an immediate relief package to the affected families for the loss of their properties and livestock. He also promised to provide jobs to one member each of the affected families at government establishments.

Ex-MLA arrested

SDF leader and former MLA Mechung Bhutia, who was charged with manhandling on-duty police personnel recently, was arrested by Rongli police in Pakyong district on Friday.

Pakyong police said Bhutia was being interrogated in connection with manhandling of police personnel during the launch of the SDF’s “Save Sikkim” campaign at Rongli on Monday.

Bhutia is former MLA of Martam-Rumtek. He is facing charges under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC.

The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) had condemned the alleged manhandling and demanded stern and immediate action against Bhutia, who had won from Martam-Rumtek on its ticket in the 2014 Assembly elections but later defected to the SDF which was ruling the state then.

The incident had led to a war of words between Bhutia and Jacob Khaling, SKM spokesman and political secretary to chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay). The duo indulged in a personal attack with both calling each other names.