Sikkim Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba has called for immediate, region-specific climate interventions and long-overdue seat reservations for the Limboo and Tamang (LT) communities, urging the Centre to amend the Representation of the People Act (RPA) without further delay. Subba made these appeals during the All-Party Floor Leaders’ Meeting held at the Parliament Annexe Building in New Delhi.
The meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, saw the participation of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Ministers J. P. Nadda, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and MoS L. Murugan, among other senior leaders. Subba used the platform to highlight the pressing challenges facing Himalayan states—particularly the severe effects of climate change that are increasingly visible in Sikkim and the surrounding region.
Raising alarm over the rapid escalation of flash floods, landslides, and other natural disasters, Subba urged the government to convene a comprehensive Parliamentary debate on climate change in the Himalayan belt. He stressed that mountain communities face unique risks that cannot be addressed through generalised national policies. “One-size-fits-all solutions do not work for a country as diverse as India,” he emphasised, calling for tailored policies developed through deeper consultation.
Reiterating his long-standing demand, Subba again pushed for the creation of a Parliamentary Committee exclusively dedicated to Himalayan issues. Such a committee, he said, should include MPs from all Himalayan states and Union Territories to examine development challenges, climate vulnerabilities, and long-term sustainability needs.
Turning to the upcoming delimitation exercise, Subba underscored the urgency of ensuring adequate representation for Scheduled Tribes in state assemblies. He pointed out that the LT communities in Sikkim—recognised as STs in 2003—are still awaiting their rightful reserved assembly seats more than two decades later. He urged the Centre to amend the RPA to facilitate the reservation, asserting that indigenous communities require constitutional protection to strengthen their socio-political empowerment.
Subba also advocated for the inclusion of the remaining left-out communities of Sikkim in the ST list, arguing that equitable socio-economic development depends on recognising the needs of all marginalised groups.