Bandh absolute and peaceful thus far

Bandh absolute and peaceful thus far

source:SIKKIM NOW

Police personnel stand guard at Central Referral Hospital in Gangtok where an argument had broken
out earlier between the VC, Sikkim-Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, and SDF supporters

An SDF rally in support of the bandh at 6th Mile
[Tadong], Gangtok

GANGTOK, 04 April:
Day-01 of the Sikkim Democratic Front sponsored 48-hour Sikkim Bandh was successfully observed across the State with all business establishments, schools and banks remaining closed. Bar a few instances in which the bandh enforcers had arguments with the management at some establishments, the day remained peaceful with neighbourhoods emptying out into the roads which became playgrounds for the young across the State.
Police sources confirmed that while no outbreak of violence was reported from East district, arguments resulting from “miscommunication” broke out at the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences [Gangtok] and a pharmaceutical unit near Rangpo. None was however serious enough to have resulted in a formal police complaint.

A rally of bandh supporters at Setipool, between Ranipool
and Pakyong in East Sikkim 

In Gangtok, a group of SDF supporters are reported to have created at scene at the SMIMS Vice-Chancellor’s office here at the Central Referral Hospital complex. Sources inform that the situation had become quite heated when the bandh enforcers thought that the administrative section at the medical college was not observing the bandh. The VC was challenged, a lot of table-banging ensued, but the situation, it is informed, not allowed to deteriorate beyond this and is now reported to be normal.
Sikkim Police personnel were deputed to the spot and remain stationed at the main gates.
Sources also inform that a confrontation was also reported from a pharma-unit near Rangpo where the bandh supporters challenged the management when they found a generator under operation there, leading them to believe that the unit was not observing the bandh. This generator, it is reported, was kept working to preserve the manufactured stock at the unit.
Meanwhile, SDF supporters across the State took out rallies in their respective areas carrying placards announcing their demands and raising slogans. While sizeably participated in, these processions were not aggressive and created no worries for the law & order personnel posted along their routes.
The bandh, it may be recalled, apart from reiterating Sikkim’s demands still pending with the Centre [like Income Tax exemption for left-out communities, seat reservation for Limboo and Tamang communities who have now become Scheduled Tribes etc], is to demand that private sector establishments in Sikkim abide by the MoU signed with the State Government guaranteeing preference of local candidates in employment.