The Bhutanese Leading the way.
On 28th October, Monday afternoon, at 2pm the Tsirang Municipality under the Chairmanship of the Tsirang Dzongda cut off the power supply to the building of Rajen Tamang, 48, for not using the Karaoke in the basement for the intended purpose.
Rajen had been holding religious gatherings of 30 to 40 people during every Sunday for two hours during the day.
The Municipality had already cut off the water supply to the building on the morning of the 15th October 2024
It started on 11th July when the Dzongda summoned Rajen and warned him against organizing unauthorized public gathering in the building.
The Dzongda on 8th October then sent two letters. The first letter said that he was having unauthorized public gathering in the building which is not allowed, and it is also his duty under the Local Government Act to maintain law and order and peace and harmony.
It says that failure to abide by the above will mean being dealt by the existing law of the nation.
A second letter took up the issue of the Karaoke Hall being used for other purposes than what it was authorized for and said that water and power could be cut off.
On 22nd October it seems Rajen gave in and signed a letter addressed to the Dzongda saying he would adhere to the approved plan for the Karaoke and requested for the water to be reconnected.
The Dzongda asked him to give the same with a signed legal stamp and another legal stamp with two witnesses.
However, this request seems to have hardened the position of Rajen who on 23rd October sent a letter instead requesting for use of the basement to do prayers for the Tsa Wa Sum in Gho and Kira.
In the meantime, Rajen also got the signatures of 14 residents of the building writing to the Damphu Municipality requesting for the water to be reconnected as they had gone a week without water connection, and as it affects hygiene, cooking, cleaning, getting ready for work and getting children ready for school.
After the power got cut, Rajen has been using generators for power in the building.
On 29th October, Rajen hired a lawyer who put up a case to the local court requesting that the water and electricity be connected, and that the gathering was only practicing their freedom of religion.
On the same day, he sent another letter to the Dzongda signed with legal stamps and two witnesses requesting that the power and water be reconnected, and saying that the gathering is a small personal one that will held in adherence to all required regulations.
While the Tsirang Dzongkhag and Municipality is maintaining it is a municipality and land usage issue, as well as one of unauthorized gatherings, what really seems to have sparked of such action is fears that Rajen is engaged in conversions. This is also in the context of the rapid spread of the particular religion in Tsirang and allegations of vast sums of foreign money coming into Bhutan to convert people through inducement.
While Article 7 section 4 of the Constitution does permit freedom of religion, the same section also says, ‘No person shall be compelled to belong to another faith by means or coercion or inducement.’
Rajen denied converting people and he said he is ready to face legal prosecution if there is evidence and he said he is instead serving people who are already in his faith.
Rajen said, “Every Gewog of Tsirang has gatherings like mine every Sunday by different groups, but why am I the only being targeted.”
The clash of sorts between the Dzongda and Rajen is now in the Dzongkhag Court who may have to look at the laws and the case, and make a ruling.
