Sikkim CM hits back at Opposition, says govt needs no 'instructions'

Gangtok, Aug 11 (IANS) Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday delivered a sharp rebuttal to recent criticism from the opposition Citizen Action Party (CAP), asserting that his government is fully capable of governing without unsolicited guidance.

Addressing a public gathering, Tamang refrained from naming CAP directly, but his remarks left little doubt about the target.

“We know how to run the state. We do not require instructions from those sitting in the opposition,” he said, amid rising political tensions between the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and CAP.

The opposition has recently stepped up attacks on the government’s policies and decision-making, prompting Tamang to dismiss their critiques as ungrounded. Taking aim at political rivals, he accused some leaders of being disconnected from the ground reality.

“Some people hide for six days in a week and come online on Facebook only one day. Even though they claim to have shifted politically, they have not moved an inch. Yet, they dream of winning all 32 seats,” he remarked.

In a stinging analogy, Tamang likened taking advice from such figures to “asking a student who has studied only up to class five to teach someone with a master’s degree.”

He declared, “We don’t need to be taught how to run Sikkim or serve its people.”

The Chief Minister also shared a personal anecdote, recalling his resolve after being released from jail.

“No matter how many people advised me, I did not waste a single day. I will serve the people of Sikkim with all my heart,” he said.

Pledging to continue touring the state on foot and engaging directly with villagers, Tamang urged voters to choose leaders who “work 24 hours a day, not just those who appear on Facebook once a week.”

Challenging the opposition to match his government’s record, he said, “Show us proof of your work and service. Otherwise, there is no shortcut to progress.”

--IANS

tdr/dan