Sikkim Krantikari Morcha rebuts SDF over women’s safety remarks, asserts ‘respect for women is our core value'

The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) strongly countered the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) over its recent remarks on women’s safety, asserting that respect for women has always been one of the party’s “core values.”

The reaction came after SDF leader Komal Chamling, daughter of former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, stated that “women’s safety must come before politics.” The SDF, led by the former CM, had recently met with the State Women’s Commission and senior police officials to raise concerns about alleged cases of cyber harassment targeting women leaders of the party.

In a press briefing, SKM leaders accused the opposition of politicizing sensitive social issues for electoral advantage. “We, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, have always upheld the dignity and respect of women. A woman is like Lakshmi—a symbol of prosperity—and she deserves honor and protection in every aspect of life,” an SKM spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the SKM has long dedicated significant party events to celebrate women and mothers. “We used to say, ‘May she be liberated,’ dedicating that day to the mother figure and the devoted women of our party,” the leader said.

The SKM leadership also alleged that SDF’s comments were misleading and selective, pointing out that many SKM women members had previously faced online harassment and physical intimidation. “There was a time when our sisters were insulted and even beaten at checkpoints. Our women were targeted online with hateful comments. But we never turned those painful moments into political weapons,” the party said.

Recalling incidents before the 2019 elections, SKM members claimed that several of their women leaders were harassed on social media, with doctored images circulated maliciously. “We suffered silently, but we never exploited women’s issues for political gain,” one senior leader remarked.

Accusing the SDF of double standards, SKM questioned the opposition’s silence when women from SKM were publicly insulted. “Back then, your ministers and MLAs stayed quiet even as videos went viral showing women being humiliated,” the party stated.

Condemning what it described as “the misuse of women as tools of political warfare,” SKM said that genuine empowerment cannot come from exploitation. “We’ve seen attempts to use women as guards or political shields to shame the administration. That is not empowerment—it’s manipulation,” said another SKM member.

Speaking with emotion, party representatives recalled the trauma of women whose privacy was violated online. “When a daughter’s private photograph circulates on social media, the pain is unbearable. As mothers and sisters, we feel that deeply,” they expressed.