From Our Correspondent
AGARTALA: The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) has demanded withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from Tripura saying “insurgency has come down drastically over the years”.
In spite of fall in insurgency-related incidents, the Centre has extended the AFSPA for another six months to harass people belonging to a particular ethnic group, said Jagadish Debbarma, party general secretary here on Friday.
“We also want ending of insurgency for lasting peace and prosperity but a section of people have been becoming victim of atrocities of armed forces in the name of counter insurgency operation. This must be stopped by revoking the AFSPA”, he said.
Keeping in mind of the next Assembly elections, the party has planned to organize a rally to show its organizational strength on April 10 next. The INPT president BK Hrangkhawl, general secretary Jagadish Debbarma and MP from Assam Biswajit Daimari will address.
The INPT will focus on few burning issues including empowerment of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), withdrawal of AFSPA, proper implementation of Forest Dwellers’ Rights Act-2006, separate recruitment rule for tribal council and most importantly Jirania incident.
Talking to media at Agartala Press Club here on Friday, party general secretary claimed the April 10 rally would be mammoth one.
Debbarma said that a unanimous decision was taken in the Assembly on April 7, 2006 for, empowering the tribal council. “Of late, we had a meeting with Union Home Minister on this issue,” he said.
