Sikkim protest: Modi govt to file review plea in Supreme Court over 'immigrant' tag on Sikkimese Nepalis

Amid protests in Sikkim over the Supreme Court's observations regarding the Sikkimese Nepali community, the Narendra Modi government has said that it will file a review petition in the apex court.

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on 5 February 2023 said that the central government stands with the people of Sikkim, and so, will file a petition in support of the one submitted by the state government.

Rijiju clarified that the Supreme Court judgment does not dilute Article 371F of the Constitution concerning Sikkim, and "has nothing to do with anyone's citizenship". "We value the Constitutional status of every genuine Indian and (it) will be protected at any cost," he said.

Protests broke out in the state after the top court reportedly referred to Sikkimese Nepalis as "immigrants". The Supreme Court reportedly mentioned the Sikkimese Nepali community as immigrants in an observation on January 13 while extending income tax exemption to all old settlers of the state.

(With PTI inputs)

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