Sikkim Statehood day

About the day:

• Sikkim commemorates its statehood day annually on May 16 to acknowledge its integration with India and its emergence as the 22nd state in the country in 1975.
• The state of Sikkim was formed by the 36th Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1975.   

Brief history of Sikkim:

• In the 17^th century, the Namgyal dynasty formed the Kingdom of Sikkim. The kingdom was made a protectorate of the British Empire in 1890 but the dynasty continued to function under the Chogyal (Buddhist priest-kings).
• After India’s independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to continue the kingdom’s unique protectorate status. India oversaw Sikkim’s external relations, defence, diplomacy, and communications but otherwise preserved its administrative independence.
• In order to enable constitutional rule under the Namgyal rule, a state council was established in 1953. After around two decades a people’s agitation against the monarchy in 1973 was led by former Sikkim Council member Kazi Lhendup Dorji.
• After riots broke out in front of the Chogyal’s palace in 1973, the Chogyal formally requested security from India and this led to the kingdom signing a contract with India.
• In 1974 a new constitution was adopted in the state, which restricted Chogyal to a titular post. In 1974, The Indian government changed Sikkim’s status to “associated state” and gave it one seat each in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
• In 1975, The Sikkim Prime Minister requested that Sikkim become a state of India in a petition to the Indian Parliament thus Sikkim became a state in India, and the monarchy was abolished on May 16.