- Sikkim Day is observed yearly on May 16 to commemorate Sikkim’s accession to India in 1975.
- Sikkim joined India almost two decades after Sardar Vallabbhai Patel led the unification of princely states into India.
Sikkim’s Relationship with the Chogyal Royals
- Phuntsong Namgyal was consecrated as the first ruler or Chogyal of Sikkim in 1642, establishing the kingdom of Sikkim.
- The Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim for 333 years till its independence from India in 1975.
- Sikkim was a Tibetan state located between India and China. It frequently had territorial disputes with Bhutan and Nepal.
- The British considered Sikkim as a buffer state and formalised relations with it.
- The Treaty of Tumlong (1861), Treaty of Titaliya (1817), Calcutta Convention (1890), and Lhasa Convention (1904) influenced Sikkim’s relationship with the British.
Sikkim and independent India
- Following India’s independence, princely kingdoms had the option of joining either India or Pakistan.
- Sikkim’s distinct relationship with British rule complicated its unification into India.
- Sardar Vallabbhai Patel and BN Rau desired that Sikkim sign the Instrument of Accession to India.
- Jawaharlal Nehru recognised the situation in Sikkim and emphasised the state’s autonomy.
- The Sikkim State Congress (SSC), Praja Mandal (PM), and Praja Sudharak Samaj (PSS) called for a popular democracy, the abolition of landlordism, and the state’s accession to India.
- A Standstill Agreement was struck to keep the current system in place while discussions continued.
Conflict with China
- Sikkim had a state council comprised of elected and nominated officials.
- Political developments in the 1960s and 1970s influenced Sikkim’s standing.
- The foundation of the Sikkim National Congress (SNC) in 1960, as well as changes in political leadership on both sides, had an impact on the course of events.
- The 1962 India-China war and the control of border skirmishes made it critical to explain India’s relationship with Sikkim.
How did Sikkim finally become a part of India?
- The Indian government began to back pro-democracy elements in Sikkim, such as SNC leader Kazi Dorji.
- In 1973, protests in Sikkim resulted in a three-way agreement between the Chogyal, the Indian government, and three main political groups.
- In 1974, elections were held, and a new constitution reduced the monarch’s position.
- In 1975, a referendum resulted in a majority vote in favour of joining India.
- The Constitution (Thirty-Sixth Amendment) Bill was enacted, officially admitting Sikkim to the Union of India.
- Sikkim’s new parliament proposed a measure to become an Indian state, which the Indian government approved.
Source: https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/sikkim-celebrates-its-48th-statehood-day20230516190716#:~:text=Sikkim%20became%20the%2022nd%20state,in%20the%20erstwhile%20Chogyal%20Kingdom.