Sikkim Krantikari Morcha slams Pawan Chamling over Pakyong Airport naming row, employment claims

A fresh political confrontation has erupted in Sikkim after the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) sharply criticised former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling over his recent remarks questioning the proposed naming of Pakyong Airport and raising concerns about employment practices and government functioning in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Gangtok on Thursday, mARCH 5, SKM spokespersons, including Bikash Basnet and Jacob Khaling, accused Chamling of making misleading statements aimed at creating political controversy and confusion among the people. The leaders said the former chief minister’s remarks distorted historical facts and undermined the contributions of figures associated with India’s freedom movement.

At the centre of the dispute is the state government’s proposal to name Pakyong Airport after freedom movement participant Bande Pokhrel, also known as Trilochan Pokhrel. Basnet said Pokhrel, a resident of Tareythang in Pakyong district, had travelled outside the state to join the freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi during India’s fight against colonial rule.

The announcement to rename the airport was made on February 26 by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang during the foundation day programme of the Akhil Sikkim Khas Chettri-Bahun Kalyan Sangh. However, Chamling later questioned whether Pokhrel had officially been recognised as a freedom fighter, triggering the latest political exchange.

Calling the remarks “deeply unfortunate”, Basnet said questioning Pokhrel’s legacy amounted to disrespecting the sacrifices made by freedom fighters across the country. He noted that Pokhrel’s contributions had earlier been acknowledged during the nationwide celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, when India Post issued a special postal cover in his honour.

Basnet also rejected Chamling’s suggestion that the airport should instead be named after former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari, describing the proposal as an attempt to politicise the issue and create divisions within society.

Apart from the naming controversy, the SKM leadership dismissed Chamling’s claims that government employees might face salary disruptions in the future. Basnet said salary payments were being made regularly according to established pay fixation procedures and there was no cause for concern among state employees.

The ruling party also denied allegations that the government had sold public properties. Basnet termed the claims “baseless and politically motivated”, asserting that no public assets had been transferred or sold by the present administration.

Speaking at the same press conference, senior SKM spokesperson Jacob Khaling criticised a recent speech delivered by Chamling at a programme organised by the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). Khaling alleged that several statements made during the speech were inaccurate and aimed at targeting the current government.

One of the key issues raised by Chamling concerned recruitment to government jobs. The former chief minister had alleged that individuals were required to demonstrate loyalty to the ruling party in order to secure employment.

Rejecting the allegation, Khaling said government recruitment in Sikkim takes place through established mechanisms such as the Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC) and the Sikkim State Teachers Recruitment Board (SSTB). These processes, he said, involve written examinations and interviews, and are open to candidates meeting educational qualifications ranging from Class 12 to higher degrees.

He added that certain appointments under ad hoc or muster roll categories were intended to provide livelihood opportunities for economically weaker sections but were not linked to political affiliation.

Khaling also criticised the recruitment system during Chamling’s 25-year tenure, alleging that the SPSC had been politicised during that period and that several court cases had emerged due to irregularities in the selection process. The present government, he said, was attempting to correct those issues and introduce greater transparency in hiring.

Referring to Chamling’s claims about the “Sikkim New Deal Mission”, Khaling said the assertions lacked factual basis and insisted that the state had made steady progress in sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic development since 2019.

The SKM leaders also commented on internal developments within the SDF, suggesting that Chamling should consider allowing younger leaders to take greater responsibility within the party. According to Khaling, several young SDF members had earlier proposed that the veteran leader move to an advisory role, though the suggestion was not accepted.

The SKM spokespersons further defended the government’s welfare initiatives, saying a large portion of development funds were directed toward rural areas. They cited financial support to dairy farmers through direct transfers, welfare schemes such as the Ama Yojana, and the regularisation of frontline workers including ASHA and ICDS staff as examples of policies aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods.

Khaling also accused the previous SDF government of entering into agreements with large companies that allegedly exploited natural resources such as rivers and land, resulting in financial losses to the state.

The latest exchange of accusations follows Chamling’s remarks on March 4 in which he argued that Pakyong Airport should instead be named after Nar Bahadur Bhandari and suggested that Pokhrel should first receive official recognition as a freedom fighter from the Government of India.

Chamling also criticised the state’s recruitment norms, sarcastically remarking that the employment interview system in Sikkim was unlike any seen elsewhere in the world — a claim that the SKM leadership has now firmly rejected, deepening the ongoing political rift in the Himalayan state.