He urged the people to work for the preservation and protection of the cultural heritage of Sikkim, to move on a secular and democratic path laid down by founding fathers of our Constitution and to take up new initiatives. “It is the responsibility of every citizen to contribute and work together for a better tomorrow,” he said.
He highlighted the progress the state government has made in the sphere of agriculture, horticulture, tourism, connectivity, education and power sector. The chief minister of Sikkim, Mr Pawan Chamling, paid homage to those who liberated the country and gave us the Constitution. He termed himself “the first servant of the people.”
“The state," he said, "has made progress and the government is working to consolidate the socio-cultural foundation and taking steps to integrate Sikkim with the National mainstream."
He said that the state government was committed to developing the villages, uplift the poor; provide facilities to the villagers, decentralise power and empower the panchayats. He also hoped that the state would be self-reliant by 2015.
Although the National People's Party of Sikkim had convened a bandh in the state demanding Mr Chamling's resignation on his dual citizenship issue as raised by the BJP in the first place, the bandh call failed to have any effect. The Republic Day was celebrated all over the Himlayan state with great pomp and splendour.
The Sikkim Governor also released two books in the day ~ Sikkim, Fostering a Healthy Feature (Volume IV) and Indelible Impressions, Sikkim 1995-2008 ~ published by the department of information and public relations.